Dawn of the Caribbean 1: A Rei of Light
by Brenna's Urbangirl Projects
Summary: Rei Mori, a slayer, sacrificed herself for the greater good unknowing that she was pre-immortal. Now 300 years later she will find herself helping the current Slayers Buffy and Faith Summers, the only twins to ever be called simultaneously. This is the first (previously the 3rd and final) story in my Dawn of the Caribbean Series.
1. Prologue

**Summary:** Rei Mori, a slayer, sacrificed herself for the greater good unknowing that she was pre-immortal. Now 300 years later she will find herself helping the current Slayers Buffy and Faith Summers, the only twins to ever be called simultaneously.

 **A/U:** Chapter 1 starts in season 1 of BTVS, Prologue is set in late 1600s or early 1700s, haven't set Rei's exact age.

 **Disclaimer:** Joss Whedon owns BTVS. Not sure who owns Highlander (can't seem to find a clear consensus, seems one author will claim one person or company while another will claim someone else. I own only Rei Mori and Dai Nakamura.

 **Author's Note:** First off this story is inspired by several others. DaBillaman's Shared Destiny and my own Charming the Slayer (which itself was inspired by DaBillaman's Darling One). Second off, Dawn is going to be in this from the beginning as the younger sister of Buffy and Faith. She's still the Key just sent earlier than in canon.

* * *

 **PROLOGUE**

Rei crouched peering into the darkness of the third floor landing. She knew that as soon as Dai Nakamura realized he'd been tricked into coming to place, he would become more dangerous than ever, which meant she had to proceed with caution.

Rei squinted into the blackness, but even her keen eyes could see only vague shapes and dim outlines. Using her double-pointed staff to probe the floor ahead of her, Rei moved forward with every sense on high alert. There'd be no plan B's now, no do-overs. Nakamura knew she was hounding him. Jyoti, her Watcher, was on guard outside, ready to try and intercept the vampire if he slipped through their net, but that was a feeble hope. Everything was up to Rei now, and if she allowed Nakamura to get away, he'd disappear into the night. Somewhere, months from now, far away, samurai would find a mutilated body, and the pattern would begin all over again — more victims' names to be entered into some book in the watchers' libraries.

She wasn't about to let one of the most notorious vampires ever to rise from the grave make a fool of her.

Quietly she stalked through the blackness with nothing but her instincts and the sharpened end of her wooden weapon guiding her. Then, as she stepped around an overturned piece of furniture, Rei noticed a dim light coming from above. She looked up a set of stairs and saw the door to the next and last floor standing open.

I've got you now, she thought. Just exactly where I wanted you to be.

Abandoning her cautious approach, Rei bounded to the stairs and took them three at a time to reach the door. There she paused, looking through the door into the room, surveying the place where Nakamura would now be forced to make his stand, seeing the various pieces of furniture that could give Nakamura plenty of places to hide.

Rei moved swiftly into the room, not wanting to get ambushed at the threshold. Keeping her deadly staff at the ready, she took position in the first open area she came to and was not disappointed. As she turned, she saw a dark shape fly from the shadows beyond the doorway: Nakamura had been waiting for her.

Rei lunged at the airborne vampire with her staff held high. Nakamura avoided it deftly, coming to land with surprising lightness atop one of the wobbly steel ducts.

The vampire sniffed. "Ah, I suspected as much. I've met your kind before, girl."

Rei whirled, bringing her staff to a low guard. Nakamura was stationary, making a tempting target. She could throw her dusting stick, but if she missed …

"Then we can save the awkward introductions," Rei said as she eased slowly to one side, seeking a position of advantage. "And get right on to the killing."

"Slayers," Nakamura said with a snort. "Always so arrogant. As if they've done something to earn their title, rather than just having it thrust upon them."

"Right, and being a blood-sucking menace is such a great honor. What did you have to do to earn that?"

"I only had to die," Nakamura said, rising from a crouch to his full, imposing height. "Are you willing to do the same?"

Rei answered, "You're only half-dead, buddy. But I'll be happy to finish the job for you." Then she charged Nakamura, hoping to catch him off balance. The vampire was too quick, however. With a phenomenal leap Nakamura sailed above Rei's rush, coming to land behind her as she swung round again. Seeing his position, Rei fought the urge to grin.

"Love to stay, Slayer," Nakamura hissed through a wolfish set of fangs, "but I haven't gotten through this many years by looking for new and glorious ways to get staked. Go find some other night-stalker with a taste for lumber and fame — and tell them I wished them good luck."

With that Nakamura turned and sprinted toward a window, just as Jyoti had told Rei he would. True to form, once his ambush had failed, his next move was to get away as quick as he could.

He wasn't willing to go toe-to-toe with a slayer who was equipped and prepared to fight. Rei might have tried to stop him had she not known what waited for him beyond the window.

The frightful drop to the ground was not enough to keep Nakamura from making the leap, but the yard of the monastery that neighbored the building warehouse was. Nakamura perched on the edge of the window sill, glaring at the monastery.

"As they say, it's not the fall that kills you," Rei quipped. "It's the sudden stop on hallowed ground at the end. Guess you'll just have to stay here and see what this arrogant little slayer has to offer after all."

The vampire menaced her with a roar that voiced a century of malice and cruelty just as Rei pounced.

As fast as she could move she covered the distance between them, her dusting stick angling upward to heart level in a single, practiced motion. Her rush took Nakamura by surprise — he could neither dodge nor flee. All he could do was face down Rei's attack.

The slayer slashed upward with the point of her staff in an effort to slip under Nakamura's outstretched arms, to reach and pierce his chest. Nakamura tracked Rei's movement, saw her set her weight low for the upward thrust, and with amazing speed he swept his hand beneath the point of her weapon. With a twitch of his shoulder the vampire spun and where his chest had been just a moment before there was only empty air.

But Rei's attack was in motion; its momentum carried her forward. Nakamura had been standing only inches away from the window. Suddenly the wind was hissing past her. There was a horrible, empty feeling in the pit of her stomach as her arms spun like crazy pinwheels. Head first she plummeted uncontrolled through the air, downward, anticipating the horrible feeling of snapping bone.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Rei woke in her room in Jyoti's home. She had been dreaming yet again of the memory of her failure, of falling and of pain. She wondered how many lonely midnights she'd get to spend staring at the ceiling before the shock of that last step, the terrifying sensation of falling helplessly, would fade from her mind. Why, she wondered, did the world have to be so dark when you woke up alone?

As if in answer to her question, she heard the light scuff of a footstep near the window. She felt guilty, but comforted by the presence of her friend.

"Jyoti," she said, "you shouldn't be staying up with me so late. Why don't you go to bed home and come back in …"

The figure emerged from the shadows of the window where he had been waiting. "Good evening slayer," Nakamura said. "I do apologize for disturbing your rest."

"Son of a bitch," Rei said calmly. "Get out of here. I'll scream and Jyoti and the monks tending to me will be in here before you can so much as touch me."

Nakamura was backlit by the reflection from the moon coming through the window, his grotesque vampire face made even more monstrous by the eerie illumination. Rei saw the long, ancient-looking dagger in his hand, its hilt adorned by a small charm of little bones and crow feathers.

"And what a feast that will be," he replied. "I believe I will start with the monk in the next room, or maybe your watcher. I bet he will make a tasty snack."

Rei glared at him. "All right then, Nakamura. Take a chomp on me. The monks may not know you're an unholy, but I bet they can still wrestle you to the ground and get a set of handcuffs on you. Hey, maybe we can even get the hospital chaplain in here with some holy water to give you a blessing before they haul you away. What do you think? Sound like a party?"

The vampire smiled, his wet fangs glistening as he walked around the foot of her bed. His eyes never left her face. "Bold words, Slayer," he said, "but I am afraid you mistake my intent."

"Hey, my apologies," she replied. "I know how you get off on terrorizing people who can't fight back. I figured this'd be just a little slice of heaven for you."

"You are very strong, slayer," Nakamura said, reaching out to stroke Rei's hair. "You are hardly the first to try and track me down, as I am sure your watcher told you, but you are certainly the first to back me into a corner. It was … quite an experience."

"Guess you're getting sloppy, Nakamura. Or maybe you're just more stupid than you realized."

"You have done well concealing your identity these past two years, but now? Well, finding a girl who survived a fall from a four-story building was not difficult. You are no longer the dark, mysterious avenger who hunts the night, preying on the blood brotherhood."

"Geez, you make it sound so romantic," Rei said. "You get that crap out of a handbook of some kind, or do you moonlight in poetry when you're not torturing little children?"

"I could kill you where you lay, slayer," Nakamura said, regarding the knife in his hand. "You know that as well as I. But I think we must pursue another course."

Rei stared at Nakamura's eyes and fangs. "What do you want?"

"You fought a noble fight, girl," he said. "You have a strength that I have not seen in ages. To end you here, pitiful, defenseless, would be an affront to the warrior spirit that is within us — within both of us. We are better than that."

Nakamura turned his back to Rei as he collected his thoughts. Rei looked at his unprotected back and wished she could summon the power for one more jab with a stake.

"As you know," Nakamura explained. "The slayer's strength — the mystical essence that is within you — is working on your body even now. You deserve better than to die in this feeble, puny human condition. I give you this, slayer, one warrior to another: I give you another chance. While you are here, while you regain your strength, you are safe. I will not harm you, your watcher or your family — nor will any other of my kind — until you are whole again. Not until you are a warrior once more."

Nakamura turned, his vampire's face now withdrawn and hidden behind a mask of humanity. "Then, slayer … then we will meet in glorious battle once more. Then you will have the opportunity to take me down, to turn me to dust, and finish your quest."

He raised an eyebrow. "I would suggest we shake hands to seal the bargain, but … "

Rei looked into his dark, close-set eyes without blinking, and realized how much she despised him. He had tortured and killed so many people, he had taken pleasure in causing agony and suffering, and he had left Rei herself crippled and weak. But those weren't the reasons she felt such sudden hatred toward him.

What she truly hated him for was what he was doing to her now. The lie that he was trying to lure her with, that was the cruelest thing of all.

"Get out of my room, you filth," Rei struggled to keep her voice steady and firm. She didn't want to give any indication that she'd guessed where he was trying to lead her. "If you're quite done with your speech, then get out. You may know what it's like to be a murderer, but you've got no idea what a warrior is."

"I will take that as a 'yes,'" Nakamura said smugly. Rei could see that he believed his trap had been sprung.

But as he strode casually out of the room, Rei knew what she had to do. She didn't like it, not one bit. But she had seen the one option Nakamura failed to anticipate, the one escape route he'd left unguarded.

Rei breathed deeply and began to ready herself to go down that path in the lonely darkness of her room.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

A Sparrow perched on the sill outside the window of Rei's room, its beak pressed against its breast feathers as it hunkered down in the cold, unseasonable squall. Rei had been watching the bird for hours. When the gusts began blowing shortly after dawn, she assumed the bird would quickly fly away, but it didn't. It stayed out there on the ledge with its head down and its wings tucked in tight, holding its ground in a contest of will against the wind.

She heard Jyoti's soft footsteps as he came into the room, but she didn't look at him.

"Good morning, Rei," he said. "Your breakfast, I see, is awaiting for you. Would you like me to … "

Jyoti quit speaking when he caught sight of the long, black knife resting beside the plastic plate on Rei's bedside table.

Rei turned her eyes toward her watcher. "Nakamura came to visit last night," was all she said.

Jyoti's mouth dropped open. "Dear God," he said. "Are you all right? How did …?"

"Relax, Jyoti," Rei assured him. "If Nakamura wanted me dead, you'd have found a nothing but a bloody corpse beside this breakfast tray."

"But still, he was here," Jyoti said, wrestling with the thought. "He must have had a reason. Did he leave some kind of clue?"

"Slow down. We don't need to search for clues. He was kind enough to lay his plans out right in front of me."

Jyoti sat beside Rei's bed. "What is he … What did he say?"

"Oh, all kinds of things," Rei said. "All kinds of things about warriors and courage and honor. The short version of the speech is that he promised to leave me alone until I'm out of bed and back on my feet. He said he got off on the glory of battle, the spirit of the slayer, blah-de-blah … He said he wanted me to have another chance to fight him once I'm strong enough to hold a stake."

Jyoti nodded. "We must redouble our efforts, then. The watchers' council is most pleased by the signs of your recovery. You cannot …"

"Jyoti," Rei interrupted. "There's not going to be any recovery."

Jyoti's thick eyebrows came together as he shook his head in uncertainty.

"Don't you understand?" Rei asked. "That's what he wants. He came here to set us up, to inspire me to do everything in my power to heal and get better. To cling onto life for the very hope of the day when I may have another chance to stop him dead in his tracks. To set himself up as the biggest, baddest vampire target imaginable. No other reason."

"It is the destiny of the slayer to fight the forces … "

"Yes, Jyoti," Rei said. "But this fight's over. When the monsters start rooting for you, it's time to draw up a new game plan."

Jyoti's face was blank. "What do you mean, Rei?"

Rei's chin trembled as she closed her eyes. "I've been thinking about this since Nakamura left, Jyoti," she said softly. "This isn't what I want, but what other choice is there? I've got to … it's time to end this now."

Jyoti leaned forward and put a hand on the rail of Rei's bed. "You are talking about putting an end to your own life?" he asked softly knowing that her life would not end, that she was pre-immortal, that her death now would activate that immortality, though she did not know that. While he would remain her Watcher, her chronicler when she became immortal, he would also lose her as a Slayer. With her death and rebirth as an immortal the Slayer spirit would go on to the next potential. While she would still have access to her Slayer abilities of course, she would no longer be on the active roster either. And for that reason he did not want to lose her as his Slayer when she had already lasted past most girls into her twenties. So, firmly, he commanded, "No, Rei. This must not be done."

"And why not?" Rei gulped. "Please, think about this seriously Jyoti. God knows that's what I've been doing for hours now. I've been trying to find some other way, something else to do."

"No, Rei," her watcher urged. "You are young and strong. You have much of the fight left in you. And this fight is now more important than ever."

Finally the tears Rei was struggling to hold back began to pour down her face. She had no way to stop them or to wipe them from her cheeks. In her mind she saw herself working toward recovery with her watcher by her side. She had no doubt that Jyoti would keep on being a faithful companion, never faltering in his tireless commitment to his slayer, watching over her through her recovery rather than patrols along dark streets.

She wanted to shake her head, to cast out the hopeful, positive thoughts that threatened to undermine her resolve, but she couldn't. Nakamura had robbed her of the ability to make even that simple motion on her own. The strength and power of the slayer now came down to one, single choice.

"More important than ever," Rei repeated Jyoti's words. "You're right about that, Jyoti. And now what are you asking me to do to be part of that important fight? You said yourself that a full recovery is unlikely. Any kind of recovery is going to be a long way away."

"But this is all part of the fight," Jyoti said reassuringly. "A difficult struggle, perhaps, but this is what is necessary to fulfill your calling."

"How long, Jyoti?" Rei asked. "How long will that struggle take? Months? Probably years. And during that time, how many lives are going to be lost to Nakamura and the other vampires of the world? How many people'll die while I'm recovering?" She looked at him, knowing there were no answers to her questions. "Jyoti, I'm not going to let others pay the price for my calling."

Jyoti glanced down. "But if you give up … "

"There'll be another slayer called, like I was. That's how it works," Rei said. She shut her eyes, but the tears went on rolling down her cheeks. "Someone else will go on with the battle. Someone with arms and legs. Someone whole. It's time for me to let go, Jyoti."

"Rei, I know how hopeless this seems. You must understand that anger and despair are normal parts of the process of recovery. But just as a warrior must fight physical enemies, one must also fight against …"

"Being a warrior is not about fighting," Rei said. "Being a warrior means being a protector, right Jyoti? It means looking into the face of fear and pain, doing what others cannot do, no matter how scared you are. To give everything you have for the good of others, that's what a warrior does. That's what you taught me, Jyoti."

"I cannot …" Jyoti struggled to get the words out. "The job of a watcher is to guide and protect the slayer. To help her keep her focus through the times of uncertainty."

Rei sobbed, just once, then swallowed hard and bit back the grief before it could overwhelm her. "Jyoti, don't make me fight you for this," she begged through clenched teeth. "I can't do it. I don't have that left in me. I need your help now."

She opened her eyes as the façade of resistance faded from Jyoti's face. He looked at her with the same patient wisdom she'd seen many a time before.

"I can't believe I'm the first one to come up with this idea," Rei said at last.

Jyoti shook his head slowly. "No, of course. The council has considered this issue and has anticipated this option," he said. "I have been given certain … supplies in preparation for this eventuality."

"That's a lovely way to put it," Rei said with a bitter laugh.

"But Rei, despite some rather strongly held convictions among the members of the council,"

Jyoti paused, his glistening eyes locked onto the slayer's. "Despite no small amount of debate, it was resolved that a slayer's life has validity in any form. If we regard the slayer as nothing more than an expendable tool, then we are no better than the monsters we fight."

"You are much better than that," Rei said with one last smile. "Thank you, Jyoti."

Jyoti reluctantly slid his hand into the pocket of his jacket as if he was reaching for a concealed scorpion. He brought out a small, bottle. "You're sure of this, are you Rei?" he asked. "There is no need to rush into this decision."

She sighed. "Now. Jyoti, help me," Rei said. "Help me be a warrior one more time."

Jyoti looked at Rei lying there, gazing back at him, imploring him to help her take the final step of her journey. He knew it would not end here, not for her. And with the rebirth as an immortal, she would find her body healed. He was sure the council had thought of this also, they knew she was pre-immortal. While she would be removed from the active roster, he was sure the council knew as well as he that Rei would not rest; that she would continue the work that she had done that had made her the longest living slayer so far, and even in time seek Nakamura out. With a single nod, a solemn and respectful bow, he unstopped the bottle.


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome to the Hellmouth Pt 1

**Chapter 1: Welcome to the Hellmouth Part 1**

Rei was lost, wandering through a place she didn't know.

A subterranean chamber, perhaps, or the hidden lair of some horrible beast—this dark, forgotten place of dampness and decay. She moved on through the gloom, wary her bow at the ready, trying to figure out where she was, why she was there.

Images jumped out at her, then faded again almost instantly, leaving only the vaguest of memories in their wake. She saw candles flickering over a deep red pool . . . clawing fingers through a glow of fire . . . drawings of beasts and the silvery glint of a cross. Demonic laughter echoed among crumbling headstones—faceless figures stalked her—and then suddenly, startlingly clear, she saw a book, a book she recognized, a book she had not laid eyes on since Jyoti had died, the book _Vampyr._

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Rei's eyes snapped open with the ringing of the phone on her nightstand. She reached over and picked it up. "Rei," she said simply.

"It's Duncan," came a voice from the phone. A voice she instantly recognized as Duncan Macleod, the first immortal she had ever met after her first death and had taken her under his wing and taught her about the Game.

Rei sat up, suddenly wide awake. She had called Duncan when the dreams had started. He had a contact within the Watcher's Council by the name of Joe Dawes, who had been assigned to chronicle Duncan's life. She had been sure the dreams were in reality the prophetic dreams that all Slayers had gotten. "What did Joe say?" she asked.

"Not much," Duncan replied. "The current slayer is or was in Los Angeles. Apparently she is in the process of being moved. He couldn't find out where though, I'm sorry. He said when he inquired they asked why he needed the information. Since you are not an active slayer he couldn't of course tell them you wanted the information."

Rei let out a sigh. "Thanks, Duncan. And let Joe know I'm very appreciative of him trying. Tell him a bottle of sake is on its way as my thanks."

"Alright," Duncan replied. "Stay safe, Rei."

"You too, Duncan," Rei said as she hung up the phone.

"You know there are other ways to find her," came a voice from behind her.

Rei was off the bed in an instant as she spun to face the voice. She frowned as she instantly recognized the half demon that worked for the Power that Be. "Whistler," she growled. "What do the Powers want?"

"They know you have been searching for the current Slayer," Whistler said, "because of the dreams. They know where to find her."

"Where?" Rei asked as she reached for her sword that she kept by her nightstand, ready to chop off the demon's head if his information was not to her liking.

"The Hellmouth."

"The one in California?" Rei asked as Whistler nodded. "That explains the dreams. Something is about to happen there."

"There is something you should know," Whistler said before Rei could dismiss him. "The slayer line has split."

"What do you mean?" Rei wondered. "How could it split?"

"The Slayer, well actually slayers plural, fraternal twin sisters. In a fluke, both were called at the exact same instance," Whistler said. "The Powers believe there is an apocalypse coming, one that will end the world for humanity, allow the First Evil to come forth and bring back the Old Ones."

"How long do I have?" Rei asked.

"Seven years, according to the Powers," Whistler replied. "But that doesn't mean its going to be an easy ride. There is going to be bumps along the way, as you well know."

Rei let out a sigh and nodded. She did know as she thought back on Nakamura. He was still out there, somewhere. They had met up a hundred years after her first death. When he found out she was immortal, he had escaped and she assumed to plan his next move. "I know," she said. "When are they going to be in Sunnydale?"

"A few days," Whistler replied.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Buffy, Faith?"

"I'm up, Dawn," Buffy and Faith called back from their respective rooms across the hall from each other. Their mother, Joyce Summers, had managed to find a house so that each of her girls had a room to themselves.

"We don't want to be late for your first day!" Dawn called back.

"No," Buffy mumbled to herself. "Wouldn't want that." She sat up and stared around the room, at the half-decorated walls, the unpacked boxes stacked in one corner.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Now, you two have a good time," Joyce said, watching Buffy and Faith get out of the car. "I know you two will make friends right away. Think positive. And, girls . . ." she paused, sounding hopeful. "Try not to get kicked out."

"We promise," Buffy and Faith replied.

As their mother drove off heading for Dawn's school, Buffy and Faith stood for a moment, sizing up their new situation, unaware they were being watched.

Rei watched the girls that had just gotten out of the car and nodded. From what her Slayer enhanced hearing had picked up, she was sure these were the girls that had been called. Now that she knew what they looked like she would come back tomorrow and enroll as a student. Utilizing a glamour spell a witch taught her over a hundred years before, she would make herself look younger. Till then she was going to scout out the town.

She noticed a boy on the skateboard as her hearing picked up what he was saying while he weaved his way recklessly through the crowds. "Coming through . . . not certain how to stop . . ."

Rei shook her head as she watched the boy's head pivot toward the darker haired twin. She smirked as she watched him run right into the railing in front of him.

A redheaded girl ran up to help him, he looked at her with a grin that was all charm.

"Willow!" Xander exclaimed, picking himself up again, not at all bothered by his dramatic entrance. "You're so very much the person I wanted to see."

"Really?" Willow asked hopefully.

"Yeah," he said. "You know, I kind of had a problem with the math."

Willow quickly hid her disappointment. "Which part?"

"The math. Can you help me tonight? Please? Be my study buddy?"

"Well," Willow considered cheerfully, "what's in it for me?"

"A shiny nickel . . ."

"Okay. Do you have _Theories in Trig?_ You should check it out."

Xander looked baffled. "Check it out?"

"From the library. Where the books live."

Rei nodded at the mention of books. It would be the perfect cover for Buffy and Faith's watcher. She would have to check it out tomorrow when she enrolled. She turned and headed back for her car and got in. Time to check out the local demon bars.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Faith and Buffy sat in the principal's office, across the desk from Mr. Flutie. As they watched him, he pulled their transcripts from a folder, glanced through them, and then turned a direct gaze on the sisters.

"Buffy Summers," he recited. "Sophomore, late of Hemery High in Los Angeles. Faith Summers also a sophomore, also late of Hemery High in Los Angeles. You both have an interesting record. Quite a career."

Before either Faith or Buffy could answer, he smiled and carefully tore their transcripts into four pieces each.

"Welcome to Sunnydale," he announced. "A clean slate, that's what you get here. What's past is past. We're not interested in what it says on a piece of paper. Even if it says—" He broke off and looked down again at the ripped pages. His eyes went wide. "Whoa." He check the other transcript and noticed similar remarks on it as well. "At Sunnydale we nurture the whole student. The inner student."

Having recovered himself, Mr. Flutie continued to talk while picking up the pieces of their transcripts and arranging them back into their original shapes. Just then a knock came at the door.

"Yes?" Mr. Flutie asked as the door opened and a two women walked in, one of whom could have been about Buffy and Faith's age.

"Yes, Ms. …?" Mr. Flutie said.

"Marie Danvers," the woman said. "The new history teacher. And this is my niece Savannah Summers, who's transferring in."

Buffy and Faith glanced at each other and then at girl named, Savannah. They wondered if Savannah was somehow related to them or whether it was just a coincidence that they had the same last names and enrolling on the exact same day.

Mr. Flutie nodded and motioned for Marie and Savannah to have a seat. "Welcome. Why don't you two just have a seat while I finish with our other new student here?"

Marie nodded as she and Savannah sat down in the that lined the back of the office. Savannah nudged Marie and motioned toward Mr. Flutie's desk where they saw that Faith and Buffy's transcripts had been torn up.

"Where was I? Oh yes, other schools might look at the incredible decline in grade point average," he said. "We look at the struggling young _women_ with the incredible decline in grade point averages. Other schools might look at the reports of gang fights—"

"Mr. Flutie—" Faith interrupted.

"All the kids here are free to call me Bob—"

"Bob—"

"But they don't."

He pulled out a piece of tape and began taping the transcripts together again.

"Mr. Flutie," Faith said. "We know our transcripts are a little . . . colorful—"

"Hey, we're not caring about that! Do you think 'colorful' is the word? Not 'dismal'? Just offhand, I'd go with 'dismal.'"

"It wasn't that bad," Buffy argued.

Mr. Flutie stared at the sisters. "You two burned down the gym."

"We did. We really did." Buffy winced. "But you gotta see the big picture. I mean the gym was full of vamp . . ." Faith quickly elbowed her, "… uh, asbestos."

"Buffy, Faith. Don't worry. Any other school, they might say 'Watch your step,' or 'We'll be watching you,' or 'Get within a hundred yards of the gym with a book of matches and you'll grow up in juvie hall,' but that's just not the way here. We want to service your needs and help you to respect our needs. And if your needs and our needs don't mesh . . ."

Still smiling blandly, he slipped the messily mended transcripts back into the folders and slammed them shut with his hand. As Buffy and Faith left the office he pulled out another folder and then motioned to Marie and Savannah to sit in the chairs Faith and Buffy had.

"Did you happen to bring Savannah's transcripts with you Ms. Danvers?" he asked. "They seemed not to have arrived."

Marie nodded as she pulled a folder out of her bag and handed it to him.

"So," he said as he looked over Savannah's transcripts. "Remarkable. Straight A student."

Savannah smiled. "I try," she said. They hadn't faked her grades on her transcripts. They had just changed the details of the school Savannah had been at. Savannah was just as bright as her aunt.

"I see your entering Sunnydale High as a sophomore. I'm sure you will fit right in." After a brief discussion Savannah was dismissed. "Ms. Danvers. Welcome to Sunnydale High. I'm not going to go through the big hoopla of introducing you to everyone." He produced a map of the campus, much like the one he had given Savannah, and marked on it the location of her classroom. "That will be your classroom for the remainder of the school year and the next two years after that. The school board said you signed a two year contract to start next fall along with the contract to teach the remainder of this school year as well."

"That is correct. If you don't mind I want to get settled in before my first class," Dawn said

Mr. Flutie nodded. "Of course. You will need a teacher's edition of your textbook. You can find it along with the student textbooks in the school library. Rupert Giles is the school librarian, he also is a recent hire. He will get you what you need."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Savannah stood in the hall and watched as a boy hurrying to class knocked Faith and Buffy down, spilling things from their bags.

Xander rushed over from his locker. "Can I have you," he asked Faith, then corrected himself. "Dyeh—can I help you?"

"Thanks," Faith replied as he started picking up her things and handing them to her.

Savannah looked toward Buffy as she noted Buffy was picking up own stuff, seemingly being ignored by Xander. She walked over to Buffy and knelt down. "Hey."

"Hi," Buffy replied.

"My name's Savannah," Savannah said as started picking up Buffy's things and handing them to her. "Savannah Joyce Summers."

Buffy blinked as she looked at Savannah. That was even more of a coincidence.

"I don't know you, do I?" Xander asked Faith.

"No," Faith replied. "I'm Faith and this is my sister, Buffy."

"Xander. Is me. Hi."

"Thanks," Faith said.

"Maybe I'll see you around," Xander suggested. "Maybe at school, since we both . . . go there."

"Great," Faith smiled slightly, she had to give the boy a gold star for effort. "Nice to meet you. Come on, Buffy."

Buffy nodded as she looked at Savannah. "Thanks for the help," she said as she finished stuffing her bag. She and Faith then turned and hurried down the hall.

"We both go to school," Xander shook his head in disgust. "Very suave. Very not pathetic."

Then he noticed something on the floor. Bending down to retrieve it, he automatically called after Faith, "Oh, hey, you forgot your—"

He broke off. He looked at the thing he was holding.

"Stake," he said.

Faith and Buffy were too far away now to hear him.

Savannah looked up and saw her aunt standing over her. She got up and they walked away from Xander checking Savannah's schedule.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Rei walked into one of the demon bars of Sunnydale. She had chosen this one because of the bartender who owned it. He was also an immortal. She had found out that for the right incentive he would give out information on what was happening in the town.

"Rei," Willy said as she approached. "The usual?"

Rei smiled. She had been in the bar twice in the last couple days since she had arrived in Sunnydale. She had found that Willy had made a deal to keep his own head; the bar was neutral ground, not holy, just neutral. He offered all immortals free drinks and food if they would not take his head or any other immortal's head while in the bar. Outside of course was another matter, of course Willy rarely set foot outside. "Not today, Willy. I need to know what's going down?"

Willy looked towards his demon patrons and Rei understood. She had to make a show of roughing him up if she wanted to know what was happening. She drew her sword from under her coat and readied it for a strike at his head.

"Alright, alright," he said at the threat of losing his head. For an immortal that was the only way they could die after all and he knew if Rei took his head he would die. "Word is the Master has been here for years trapped within the Hellmouth. The Harvest is coming up; it's supposed to free him."

"When?" Rei asked as she held onto the sword.

"Tomorrow night."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Savannah and Marie noticed that Buffy and Faith were seated at the back of the classroom when they arrived at Marie's classroom.

Looking around Marie remembered she didn't know what her predecessor had been teaching when he had mysteriously disappeared. She quickly borrowed one of the student's books and looked over the chapter that the student said was next. When the bell rang she handed the book back to the student.

"Good morning everyone. My name is Marie Danvers. But you can just call me Marie. No need to stand on formality in my classroom. Now if you will open your textbooks to page 61." Marie said. After she took attendance she started on her lecture.

"It's estimated that about twenty-five million people died during the Black Plaque. But the fun part of the Black Plaque is that it originated in Europe: How? As an early form of germ warfare. The plague was first found in Asia, and a Kipchak army actually catapulted plague-infested corpses into a Genoise trading post. If you look at the map on page sixty-three you can trace the spread of the disease ..."

Marie watched as everyone opened their books. She noted like Savannah, Buffy and Faith didn't have one yet. She smiled as Cordelia Chase leaned over next to Buffy to share her book.

"Here," Cordelia said whispered to Buffy as Faith scooted her own desk over so she could look at the book as well.

"Thanks," Buffy and Faith said.

Marie noted that another kind student did the same with Savannah as she continued the lecture. "And this popular plague led to what social changes?"

An hour later the bell rang and students started to file out of the classroom. Dawn debated introducing herself to Buffy when Cordelia beat her to the punch

"Hi, I'm Cordelia."

"I'm Buffy and this is my sister, Faith."

"If you're looking for textbooks of your very own, there's probably a few in the library."

"Oh, great. Thanks. Where would that be?" Buffy wondered.

"I'll show you."

"Ms. Chase you wouldn't mind terribly much if Savannah and I accompanied you," Marie said as she and Savannah walked up to them. "I need to pick up my teacher's edition of the textbook and my niece needs to pick up the student edition. And we're not familiar with the campus yet."

Cordelia looked too Marie and then nodded. "Sure Ms. Dan … Marie."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Savannah, Faith, Buffy, Cordelia and Marie walked out into the crowded hall.

Cordelia glanced at Buffy and Faith with unconcealed interest, ignoring both Dawn and Savannah. "You two transferred from Hemery, right? In L.A.?"

"Yeah," Buffy and Faith replied.

"Oh! I would kill to live in L.A. Being that close to that many shoes . . . Why'd you two come here?"

"Because our mom moved, is the reason. I mean, we all moved. But our mom wanted to," Buffy said in response

"Well, you two will be okay here," Cordelia assured the sisters. "If you hang with me and mine, you'll be accepted in no time. Of course, we do have to test your coolness factor. You're from L.A., so you can skip the written, but let's see . . . Vamp nail polish."

Buffy asked tentatively, "Over?"

Marie shook her head as Savannah looked at her.

"So over," Cordelia replied. "James Spader."

"Buffy's gay, so it would likely be Kyra Sedgwick who needs to call her. But me on the other hand he needs to call," Faith said.

"Frappachinos?" Cordelia asked.

"Trendy but tasty," Buffy and Faith agreed simultaneously.

"John Tesh."

"The Devil?" Faith said with a roll of her eyes.

Cordelia nodded. "Well, that was pretty much a gimme, but you both passed."

"Oh, good." Buffy put a hand to her heart in mock relief.

Savannah and Marie bit back the laughter that was trying to bubble out of them. They continued on towards a water fountain, where Willow was taking her turn.

"Willow!" Cordelia raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Nice dress. Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears."

Willow sounded almost apologetic. "Well, my mom picked it out."

"No wonder you're such a guy magnet." Cordelia's tone was withering. "Are you done?"

"Ms. Chase," Dawn said. "You can be polite and wait for her to get done or you can find another fountain."

Cordelia didn't say anything but just nodded.

Buffy looked unhappily at the departing Willow and then Dawn and Savannah and smiled her thanks for standing up for the girl. Once Cordelia was done at the water fountain they followed Cordelia on to the library.

"And if you two are not too swamped with catching up, you should come out to the Bronze tonight," Cordelia suggested.

"The who?" Savannah asked.

"The Bronze. It's the only club worth going to around here. They let anybody in, but it's still the scene. It's in the bad part of town."

"Where's that?" Buffy asked.

"About half a block from the good part of town. We don't have a whole lot of town. You two should show."

They'd reached the library now. The five of them stopped in front of the door.

"Well, we'll try, thanks," Faith promised.

"Good. I'll see you two at gym and you can tell me absolutely everything there is to know about yourselves." She turned to Marie. "Marie." She looked at Savannah. "And … Sorry I don't know your name."

"Savannah, Savannah Summers," Savannah said.

"Thank you, Ms. Chase," Dawn said as Cordelia turned and went off.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy and Faith entered the Sunnydale High library. They looked around surprised at the elegance of it, the dark wood paneling, the streaming sunlight across the floor, the shelves and shelves of books. A short flight of stairs led up to a second level of still more bookcases, and with its large oak table and cozy study lamps, the room had a curiously warm country-house feeling.

Buffy turned to ask Savannah and Marie what they thought of the library since they were new as well, but found suddenly and mysteriously gone.

Buffy and Faith paused beside the checkout counter, they happened to notice a folded newspaper lying there, an article on its first page circled in red. The headline stated: _Local Boys Still Missing_ , and beside it was a blurry picture of three boys.

The sisters wandered farther in. They peered around a bookcase.

"Hello . . . is anybody here?" Buffy called out.

Without warning someone touched Faith's shoulder. Half expecting an attack, she spun to face him.

"Can I help you?" the man asked politely.

Buffy breathed a sigh of relief as she touched her sister's shoulder to indicate it was okay. "We were looking for some, well, books. We're new."

"Miss Summers," the man said looking at Buffy and then at Faith, "and Miss Summers."

"Good call," Faith said with a roll of eyes.

"I'm Mr. Giles, the librarian."

The sisters studied him for an instant.

"Great." Buffy smiled. "So you have, uh—"

"I know what you both are after."

He turned and led them to the checkout desk by the door. They watched curiously as he pulled a book out from beneath the counter and slid it toward them. Huge and leather bound, it bore a single word in gilt upon its cover.

 _VAMPYR_

Concern flooded the sisters' faces—and with it, a look of wary understanding. They had both seen this book in a dream. They stepped back from the desk, but their gaze remained on the librarian.

"That's not what we're looking for," Faith told him, her voice going tight.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm way sure."

Mr. Giles hesitated . . . gave an almost imperceptible nod. "My mistake."

He replaced the book under the counter.

"So," he continued softly, "what is it you said—"

As he stood back up he looked at where Buffy and Faith had been standing a second before and saw Savannah and Marie standing there now. "Hello is there something I can help you two with?" he asked.

"My name is Marie Danvers," Marie said. "I am the new history teacher and this is my niece Savannah. We were told you have the teacher's edition of the textbook for my classes. And the student edition for all of Savannah's classes."

"Yes," Giles said as Savannah handed him her schedule and he went into a small cubicle next to his office and pulled out several books. When he returned he handed them to Dawn and Savannah.

Dawn smiled. "There is something else we wanted to talk to you about, _Watcher_."

What did she just call me? Giles wondered. He stared at Marie for a moment. "What did you say?"

"My aunt called you by your real title, Mr. Giles," Savannah said as Marie gave a small laugh.

"I know you work for the Watcher's Council," Marie said. "I also know Buffy and Faith Summers are the current Slayers, the only fraternal twins to be ever called simultaneously."

"And how do you know all that?" Giles asked.

Marie smiled. "You would know me under a different name. A name that was given to me by a Native American tribe 200 years ago. The Green Witch."

"The Green Witch?" Giles asked. He had heard the legends of The Green Witch. But like the Watcher's Council he had dismissed them as nothing but superstition and legend. "You're actually her? But how is that possible. Only a few demons, vampires amongst them, live that long."

Savannah smiled. "Aunt Marie drank from the Fountain of Youth in the year seventeen fifty, when it was destroyed by Spanish soldiers. And yes she is actually the Green Witch," she said.

"What brings you to Sunnydale?" Giles asked.

"Buffy and Faith do," Marie said. "I have seen the path they will tread and I believe they will have need of mine and Savannah's help."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Rei returned to her newly purchased house. She looked at the unpacked boxes and sighed. She would find time for that later as she moved to the phone and dialed.

 _"Joe Dawson,"_ came Joe's voice from the phone.

"It's Rei," Rei said. "I have some information for the Council. Heinrich Joseph Nest is still alive."

 _"Nest … Nest, I've heard that name somewhere."_

"He, and his followers, calls himself, The Master," Rei said. "I was tracking him in nineteen thirty-seven when he disappeared. Word has it that he trapped himself in the Hellmouth."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Willow carefully sorted through her packed lunch. She was so involved that she didn't notice anyone approaching until a voice spoke behind her.

"Uh, hi," the voice said. "Willow, right?"

Willow started and turned around. "Why?" she asked suspiciously, and then, seeing who it was, "I mean, hi. Did you two want me to move?"

"Why don't we start with 'Hi, I'm Buffy and this is my sister, Faith,'" Buffy suggested as she and Faith sat down beside Willow. "And then let's segue directly into us asking you for a favor. It doesn't involve moving, but it does involve you hanging out with us for a while."

Willow's expression was doubtful. "But aren't you two . . . hanging with Cordelia?"

"We can't do both?" asked Faith.

"Not legally."

"Look, Faith and I really want to get by here," Buffy explained. "New school . . . Cordelia's been really nice—to us, anyway—but we have this burning desire not to flunk all our classes, and we heard a rumor that you were the person to talk to if we wanted to get caught up."

Willow brightened. "Oh, I could totally help you two out! If you both have sixth period free, we could meet in the library—"

"Or not," Faith declined at once.

"Or, you know, we could meet somewhere quieter," Buffy quickly added. "Louder. That place kind of gives us both the wiggins."

"It has that effect on most kids. I love it, though. It's a great collection, and the new librarian's really cool."

"He's new?" Faith asked as she and Buffy glanced at each other. She replayed everything they knew about him so far. He was new, had a British accent, and had that Vampyr book. She hoped he was not Merrick's replacement. She and Buffy were both done with that life.

"Yeah, he and the new history teacher, Marie, just started. He was a curator of some British museum. Or _the_ British Museum, I'm not sure. But he knows everything and he brought all these historical volumes and biographies, and am I the single dullest person alive?"

"Not at all!" Buffy insisted.

The girls looked up as Xander sauntered over with Jesse.

"Hey. Are you guys busy?" Xander greeted them. "Can we interrupt? We're interrupting."

"Hey," Buffy smiled.

"Hey there," Jesse answered.

"Buffy, Faith, this is Jesse." Willow made the introductions. "And that's Xander."

"Oh, me and Faith go way back," Xander said casually. "Old friends, very close. Then there was that period of estrangement, I think we were both changing as people, but here we are, and it's like old times, I'm quite moved."

Faith stared at him amused, amazed and quite flattered.

"Is it me?" Jesse asked him. "Or are you turning into a babbling idiot?"

For a split second Xander looked almost embarrassed. "It's not you."

"It's nice to meet you guys," Buffy said. "I think."

"Well, we wanted to welcome you, make you feel at home," Jesse replied gallantly. "Unless you have a scary home."

"And to return this," Xander added. He produced a stake that had fallen earlier from Faith's bag. "The only thing I can figure is that you're building a really little fence."

"Oh. No." Buffy's mind worked swiftly. "That was for self-defense." Faith rolled her eyes at the lame excuse. "Everyone has them in L.A. Pepper spray is so passé."

Xander nodded, as though not quite convinced. "So. What do you like," he looked at Faith explicitly, "what do you do for fun, what do you look for in a man? . . . Let's hear it."

Faith shook her head and laughed softly. _Good looks and funny, a good combination,_ she thought to herself.

"If you have any dark, painful secrets that we could publish," Jesse suggested.

"Gee," Buffy's tone was mildly sarcastic. "Everybody wants to know about us. How keen."

"Well, not a lot happens in a one-Starbucks town like Sunnydale," Xander confessed, his gaze never leaving Faith. "You two are big news."

"We're not," Faith said. "Really."

"Are these people bothering you two?" Cordelia suddenly appeared behind Jesse, a look of pure disdain on her face.

Buffy glanced around in surprise. "Oh! No."

"They're not hanging out with us," Willow hastened to explain, while Jesse only looked smitten at the sight of Cordelia.

"Hey, Cordelia," Jesse said.

"Oh, please," Cordelia dismissed him in disgust, turning her attention to the sisters. "I don't want to interrupt your downward mobility. I just thought I'd tell you both that you won't be meeting Coach Foster, the woman with chest hair, because gym has been canceled due to the extreme dead guy in the locker."

Buffy stared at her. "What?"

"What are you talking about?" Willow straightened, looking alarmed.

"Some guy was stuffed in Aura's locker," Cordelia explained.

"Dead," Buffy repeated as she glanced at Faith.

"Way dead," Cordelia confirmed.

"So not just a little dead, then," Xander added.

Cordelia gave him one of her looks. "Don't you have an elsewhere to be?"

"If you need a shoulder to cry on," Jesse offered, "or just to nibble on—"

"How did he die?" Faith broke in, her gaze still steady upon Cordelia.

"I don't know . . ."

"Well, were there any marks?" Buffy asked.

"Morbid much?" Cordelia was eyeing Buffy and Faith as though the sisters were some kind of aliens. "I didn't ask!"

Abruptly Buffy and Faith stood up. "Uh, look, we gotta book," Faith said. "We'll see you guys later."

Faith and Buffy took off hurriedly toward the gym, leaving the others to stare after them in bewilderment. Unbeknownst to them they were being followed by Marie and Savannah.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The sisters went straight to the girls' locker room. Unfortunately, Mr. Flutie was just coming out, closing the door behind him.

"Oh! Buffy! Faith!" He regarded them in surprise. "Uh, what do you two want?"

Buffy tried to keep her voice casual. "Um, is there a guy in there who's dead?"

"Where did you hear that?" Mr. Flutie asked quickly. Then, "Okay. Yes. But he's not a student! Not currently."

"Do you know how he died?" Faith wondered.

"What?"

"Faith means," Buffy fumbled trying to cover for her sister, "how could this have happened?"

"Well, that's for the police to determine when they get here," Mr. Flutie replied. "But this structure is safe, we have inspections, and I think there are no grounds for a lawsuit."

"Was there a lot of blood?" Faith asked. "Was there _any_ blood?"

Mr. Flutie gave the sisters a long look. "I would think you two wouldn't want to involve yourself in this kind of thing."

"We don't," Buffy assured him.

"Could I just take a peek?" Faith asked.

"Unless you already _are_ involved . . ." Mr. Flutie insinuated, and Buffy shook her head.

"Never mind," Buffy said as she grabbed Faith's arm and started to pull her away from Flutie.

"Buffy, Faith," the principal went on, relenting a little, "I understand this is confusing. You both are probably feeling a lot right now. You should share those feelings. With someone else."

Buffy and Faith passed where Savannah and Marie were hidden under a cover spell.

"Follow them," Marie whispered. "I will talk to Principal Flutie."

Savannah nodded as she turned and walked down the hall.

Marie dropped her cover spell and walked up to Flutie.

"Ms. Danvers," Flutie said not expecting her to in that particular hall.

"Is it true?" Marie asked. "I heard in the teacher's lounge that a boy was found."

Flutie sighed. "It is true. We're keeping this hush hush. We don't want to alarm the students. Those that have gym class are being redirected to study hall till the police come."

"Can I ask, I'm a big fan of crime dramas, could you tell …?" Marie asked.

"How he died?" Flutie asked as he looked around to make sure they were alone. "No, but it appears his blood has been drained through twin pin pricks in his neck."

"Who would do such a thing?" Marie wondered.

"I don't know, and I hope I never find out," Flutie said.


	3. Chapter 2: Welcome to the Hellmouth Pt 2

**Chapter 2: Welcome to the Hellmouth Part 2**

Rushing from the building, Buffy and Faith, followed at a distance by Savannah, went quickly around the side of the gym. It was easy locating another door to the locker room.

Savannah muttered the incantation for a cover spell seconds before Buffy looked in her direction.

Buffy kept watch as Faith twisted the knob, but the door was locked tight. Faith looked to her sister who nodded indicating they were alone.

Faith with one quick tug pulled the door open, splintering the lock in the process. She slipped inside, leaving Buffy to watch the door. She saw the body at once, lying on the floor stretched out beneath a blanket. Hesitantly she approached it, feeling certain she wasn't going to be at all pleased with what she found. Slowly she folded the blanket down from the corpse's head and shoulders.

Grim frustration flooded Faith's face. She stared down at the body, nearly seething.

"Oh, _great!"_ she exploded.

There on the boy's neck were two distinct bite marks.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Savannah watched as Faith exited out the door she had entered moments earlier. As they walked away she noticed her aunt was standing next to her.

"It seems we have vampires," Marie said.

"Do you remember?" Savannah asked.

"I was ten, Savannah. I wasn't privilege to knowing what Buffy and Faith were doing. It's why your mom gives us the info we need to help keep Buffy and Faith safe from anyone who might come after them because Buffy is your mom's past self."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Faith and Buffy strode back into the library.

"Okay, what's the sitch?" Faith demanded.

Giles was standing on the second level, completely engrossed in a book. He looked down as they started up toward him.

"Sorry?" he asked, unnoticed by the trio Savannah and Marie slipped in and immediately cast a cover spell.

"You heard about the dead guy, right?" Buffy retorted. "The dead guy in the locker?"

"Yes."

"Well, it's the weirdest thing," Faith said. "He's got two little holes in his neck, and all his blood's been drained."

"Isn't that bizarre?" Buffy added. "Aren't you just going, 'Ooooh . . .'"

Giles let out a sigh. "I was afraid of this."

"Well, we weren't!" Faith said a tad bit harsher than she had intended. "It's our first day."

"We were afraid that we'd be behind in all our classes," Buffy added, "that we wouldn't make any friends, that we'd have last month's hair."

"Well all except the last month's hair deal, that's all Buffy," Faith said with a roll of her eyes.

"You know what I meant, Faith," Buffy said returning her attention back to Giles. "We didn't think there would be vampires on campus. And we _don't care."_

"Then why are you two here?"

That stopped the sisters, but only for a moment.

"To tell you that we don't care," Faith answered. "Which we don't."

"And have now told you," Buffy said. "So, 'bye." She started for the door pulling Faith along with her.

"Will he rise again?" Giles asked.

Buffy and Faith looked at each other.

"You mean the boy?" Faith asked as Giles nodded. "No he's dead. Dead, dead, not undead."

"Can you be sure?"

Faith sighed. "He would have had to drink, which he didn't," she answered. "No blood on the mouth. You know why are we still talking to you?"

"You two have no idea what's going on, do you?" Giles challenged the sisters, his words tightly controlled. "Do you think it's a coincidence, you two came here? That boy was just the beginning."

Buffy turned back and looked up at him. "Oh, why can't you leave us alone?"

"Because you are the Slayer," he replied before remembering the reports Merrick had written about the fact that both of the sisters had been called. "Because you both are Slayers."

They watched as Giles came down the stairs, his gaze very solemn.

"Into every generation, a Slayer is born," Giles intoned. "One girl, in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the—"

"—the strength and skill to hunt the vampires—" Faith added.

"To stop the spread of their evil blah blah, we've _heard_ it, okay?" Buffy finished.

Giles looked troubled. "I don't understand this attitude. You two have accepted your duty, you both have slain vampires before—"

"Yeah, well," Faith answered. "We also lost Merrick to good ole Lothos. We got kicked out of school, forced to move two hours away from our friends. And all because of this stupid duty. We're moving on, now."

Giles considered this a moment, then asked, "What do you two know about this town?"

"It's two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus," Buffy answered.

"It's two hours from our friends," Faith added.

Motioning the sisters to wait for him, Giles disappeared into a back room and continued to talk.

"Dig a bit into the history of this place and you'll find there has been a steady stream of fairly odd occurrences. I believe this area is a center of mystical energy. Things gravitate toward it that you might not find elsewhere."

He reappeared with a stack of books.

"Like vampires," Buffy and Faith concluded.

They tried to move past him, but he pulled a book from the pile and handed it to Buffy. It resembled the vampire book he had shown them earlier, and while Buffy stared down at it, he heaped one into Faith's arms and then another into Buffy's, back and forth he went till they were holding all of the books.

"Like werewolves," Giles went on quickly. "Zombies. Succubi, incubi . . ." He leaned close into their faces. "Everything you ever dreaded under your bed and told yourself couldn't be by the light of day."

"What, did you send away for the _Time Life_ series?" Faith asked as a giggle escaped Buffy's lips.

Giles actually looked a bit sheepish. "Uh, yes."

"Did you get the free phone?"

"The calendar."

"Cool," Buffy stated as Faith transferred her books back into his arms, "Okay, first of all, we're vampire slayers," she transferred the stack in her own arms back into his. "And second, we're retired. Hey, I know! Why don't _you_ kill them?"

Giles's smile seemed rather surprised. "I'm a Watcher. I haven't the skill."

"Oh, come on," Faith said with a roll of her eyes. "Stake through the heart, a little sunlight—it's like falling off a log."

"The Slayer … Slayers slays," Giles explained patiently. "The Watcher—"

"Watches?" Buffy asked with a roll of her eyes.

"Yes. No!" Giles recovered himself. "He—he— trains her … them, he prepares them—"

"Prepares us for what?" Faith said getting in Giles face. "For getting kicked out of school? Losing all our friends? Having to spend all our time fighting for our lives and never getting to tell anyone, because it might 'endanger' them? Go ahead." Her gaze was challenging. "Prepare us."

Faith grabbed Buffy and pulled her from the library. Giles went out after them.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Giles continued to follow the sisters through the hallway as it began filling with students once again.

"It's getting worse," Giles called after them.

Buffy glanced at Faith as they whirled to face him. All too conscious of the crowds around them, she tried not to sigh too loudly. "What's getting worse?"

"The influx of the undead," Giles murmured, moving the sisters over against the wall. "The supernatural occurrences. It's been building for years, and now . . . there's a reason why you're here, and there's a reason why it's now."

"Because _now_ is the time our mom moved _here."_

The sisters started to walk away from him, but he put up an arm on the both of them to stop them.

"Something is coming," he insisted. "Something is going to happen here soon."

The sisters pulled his arms down.

"Gee, can you vague that up for us . . . ?" Buffy asked.

"As far as I can tell," he explained, "the signs point to a crucial mystical upheaval very soon— days, possibly less."

Faith gave him a narrow stare. "Come on. This is Sunnydale," she reminded him. "How bad an evil can there be here?"

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Across town Rei smiled at Joyce Summers as she stood across from the woman. They stood in the storefront Rei had bought that would house her antiquities business.

"I've looked through your resume and I have to say I am impressed," Rei said. "A Bachelor's degree in antiquities and you worked for the premiere gallery in Los Angeles. I have to ask, why did you move to Sunnydale when you had a nice job in L.A.?"

Joyce let out a sigh. She did not want to explain that the move was the only solution to the situation of her eldest girls being kicked out of school and that no other school in L.A. would take them. So she partially lied. "I wanted a fresh start for me and the girls," she said. "My ex-husband still lives in L.A. and I wanted to put some distance between us."

"Those are very good reasons," Rei said. "I myself am very family oriented so you doing that, especially for your girls is very commendable. When can you start?"

"You mean …?"

"I do," Rei replied.

"Tomorrow?" Joyce offered.

"That'll be fine," Rei replied. "I will be gone a bit. But my daughter who coincidentally is also named Rei, her father's choice, will run things in my absence."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Savannah and Marie walked through the front door of the five hundred acre estate house that they had bought just outside Sunnydale. "Clay, Buffy, Logan, Joyce, Anne. Savannah and I are home," Marie called out.

Joyce and Logan, Marie's daughters came running into the foyer barreling into to Dawn and Savannah. They were closely followed by Anne and Clay, Marie's husband.

"Hey, darling. Everything go alright?" Clay said.

"Everything went fine," Marie said as she kissed Clay.

"So how did I look?" Anne wondered.

Savannah laughed. "You look just the same, mom."

"Hey," Dawn said as she knelt down in front of her children and hugged first Logan and then Joyce. She looked up at Clay and Anne. "Savannah and I found something out today. Did Xander ever tell you how he found out about you being the Slayer, Buffy?"

"Yeah he said he had been in the library," Anne said. "When Faith and I had been talking to Giles after the body had been found. You two are going out to the Bronze tonight. Clay wanted to go too. I think he's getting kind of restless. But I need someone here with me to help wrangle your kids." She motioned to Logan and Joyce. "Anyways you two will go to the Bronze. Introduce yourselves to my past self."

"Ok," Marie and Savannah said.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy stood in front of her bedroom mirror, agonizing over her fashion statement of the evening. Holding up an outfit that was shockingly scanty, she spoke aloud to her sisters as well as her own reflection.

"Hi! I'm an enormous slut!"

"No you're not," Dawn said.

Faith rolled her eyes. "Let's see the other one."

Buffy held up the second outfit, this one a much plainer version. "Hi! Would you like a copy of the _Watchtower?"_

Faith shook her head as she watched her twin throw both outfits down.

"I used to be so good at this," Buffy grumbled as their mother came into the room.

"Are you two going out tonight?" Joyce asked her eldest daughters.

"Yeah, Mom," Buffy answered. "We're going to a club."

"Will there be boys there?"

"No, Mom," Faith answered, "it's a nun club."

Joyce ignored the mild sarcasm. "Well, just be careful."

"We will," Buffy and Faith answered.

"I think we can make it work here," Joyce insisted. "I've got my positive energy flowing. I got a job at this gallery and I'm gonna get it on its feet."

Buffy tried to sound enthusiastic. "Great."

"And that school is a very nurturing environment, which is what you need."

"Mom . . ." Faith, Dawn and Buffy all said simultaneously.

"Oh, not too nurturing. I know," Joyce replied. She looked at her eldest daughters. "You two are sixteen." She looked to Dawn, "and you are ten; I read all about the dangers of overnurturing." She hesitated, then added truthfully, "It's hard. New town and all. For me, too. I'm trying to make it work. I'm _going_ to make it work."

"We know," Faith said.

"You're good girls, Buffy, Faith. You two just fell in with the wrong crowd. But that's all behind us now."

"It is," Buffy reassured her. "From now on, Faith and I are only hanging out with the living."

"She means," Faith said jumping in to cover for her sister, "the lively . . . people."

Joyce looked relieved. "Okay. You two have fun. Dawn, dinner will be in fifteen minutes."

"Okay," Dawn replied.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Rei watched the sisters walk away from her. She looked over their attire and shook her head. The blonde, she assumed was Buffy, was dressed in tight slacks, a powder blue shirt, and a knit tank top. The brunette, had only a simple white tank and black leather pants. She wondered if they were going out on patrol or to the Bronze, the only club she had found to be in Sunnydale. The way they were dressed she assumed the Bronze.

Rei followed them through the suburbs and into the deserted city streets on the edge of town. She watched as they turned a corner.

"Faith," Rei heard Buffy say. She smiled she had been correct in her assumption. "I think we're being followed."

Rei stopped moving just as the sisters did they whirled around and looked at her. Thankfully she was shrouded in darkness. Just far enough away so that they couldn't see her clearly.

Faith looked to her sister and whispered in Buffy's ear, who nodded.

Turning quickly, the sisters went on and Rei followed.

Buffy and Faith picked up speed and so did Rei.

Rei kept pace till she noticed the sisters duck into an alley. She smirked, rookie mistake, or was it? What if they thought she was a vampire. She decided to see what they would do, so she followed them into the alley.

As she walked down the alley someone dropped down on her from above without warning. With legs locked over her neck, Rei was tipped over, then rolled and slammed onto the ground.

Rei was on her feet instantly, but she was grabbed and thrown up against a wall. Rei smiled as she finally saw who had attacked her, Buffy. She looked up and saw the pipe ten feet above them and nodded. It would have been a move she would have used. She looked back at Buffy as Faith moved beside her sister.

"Is there a problem?" Rei asked innocently.

Buffy and Faith eyed her suspiciously, getting a good look at her for the first time.

"There's a problem," Faith shot back. "Why are you following us?"

"Do you two think there are not others in the world, besides yourselves who are Slayers?" Rei asked.

"Impossible," Buffy answered. "We were told the last one died and that the reason there are two of us now is a fluke because we're twins."

"Three hundred years ago, I was a Slayer," Rei told them. "Then … I died … and I became immortal. As far as the Watcher's Council is concerned I am no longer a Slayer even though I still have the abilities that you two have."

"And we're supposed to believe that," Faith said.

"Only vampires live that long," Buffy said. "You could very well be one."

"Stake me," Rei said with a smile. "If I'm lying then I will turn to dust. If I'm telling the truth, I will heal quickly. You see for me there is only one way for me to suffer the final death. You would have to take my head."

Faith and Buffy looked at each other and then at Rei. If she was a vampire she would dust, simple as that. If she weren't they would be responsible for murder. Maybe Rei had a death wish and simply wanted them to kill her. Buffy and Faith didn't know and didn't want to take the chance. It seemed like Rei picked up on their dilemma.

"Go to your watcher," Rei said. "Mention to him the name of Rei Mori. Mention to him he should have gotten a call from the Council via a watcher named Joe Dawson. That the Master is alive, and trapped within the Hellmouth. And tell him the Harvest is coming. You two have a good night." She reached into the pocket of her coat and withdrew two boxes and threw them at Buffy and Faith who caught them. She then turned and walked out of the alley.

Faith and Buffy watched Rei go. They saw her shadow fading into all the other shadows, and then they carefully opened the boxes, both of which held a cross attached to a long silver chain.

They glanced up quickly. Rei had disappeared.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Unbeknownst to Rei she had been followed just as she had followed Buffy and Faith.

Marie and Savannah watched as Rei walked past where they were hidden under a cover spell. A moment later they watched as Buffy and Faith exited the alley.

"Aunt Marie," Savannah said. "Mom appears to have always been quick on her feet."

"Yes," Marie replied. "The stereotypical blonde routine Buffy used tended to fool vampires into thinking she was anything but the Slayer. Of course your Aunt Faith was quite the opposite. Come on, we need to teleport to the Bronze before Buffy and Faith arrive."


	4. Chapter 3: Welcome to the Hellmouth Pt 3

**Author's Note:** There has been some changes since I last updated this story. As I said in an author's note (that this chapter replaced) I had been debating bringing A Rei of Light into my Dawn of the Caribbean Series. Since then I did some more debating. Originally this was going to be the third and likely final story in the series. As you can see it now is the first story in the series and the original Dawn of the Caribbean is now Dawn of the Caribbean 2: A Dawn in Time. This way each story picks up a point in the previous story. DoTC 2 will tell of Dawn's travel to the past at the end of the Gift and tell of Buffy and Dawn's trip to the past at the end of Chosen (which in that story that chapter is titled The World). DoTC 3 picks up 230 years after DOTC 2 and will finish out the series as will bring everything back full circle.

The other thing. Chapter 1 and 2 have been rewritten and new items written in. So you might consider going in and rereading them before you start on this chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Welcome to the Hellmouth Part 3**

A good-sized crowd milled aimlessly around the Bronze.

It certainly wasn't a fancy place, Buffy and Faith saw at once but there was an appealing sort of earthiness about it that seemed to go with the high-school-and-older crowd standing in line.

They moved their way up the line, scanning about for a familiar face. There was no one here they recognized. Inside, the place was dark and noisy and absolutely packed. A band blasted wildly from the stage up front, yet the crowds seemed relatively well behaved.

The sisters pushed their way through, still looking around for someone they knew and eventually spotted Willow at the bar. The girl was shyly ordering a soda, and the sisters hurried over to join her.

"Hi!" Buffy smiled.

"Oh, hi!" Willow looked surprised and pleased at the same time. And very out of place in her Peter Pan collar and sweater. "Hi."

"Are you here with someone?" Faith wondered.

"No, I'm just here. I thought Xander was gonna show up . . ."

"Oh, are you guys going out?" Buffy asked.

"No. We're just friends." Willow thought a moment, then added, "We used to go out, but we broke up."

"How come?" Faith asked out of curiosity.

"He stole my Barbie." As the sisters gave her a strange look, Willow explained, "We were five."

"Oh," Buffy and Faith said simultaneously.

"I don't actually date a whole lot . . . lately."

"Why not?" Buffy asked.

"Well, when I'm with a boy I like, it's hard for me to say anything cool or witty, or at all . . . I can usually make a few vowel sounds, and then I have to go away."

Faith and Buffy couldn't help laughing. "It's not that bad," Faith said.

"It is. I think boys are more interested in a girl who can talk."

"You really _haven't_ been dating lately," Faith said.

"It's probably easy for you two."

"For me," Buffy said with a shrug. "Not really, I'm more into girls."

"Translation Buffy's gay," Faith said. "Me on the other hand, yeah it's easy."

"I didn't think either of you seemed shy."

"Well, our philosophy is—" Buffy broke off. "Do you wanna hear our philosophy?"

"I do," Willow said eagerly.

"Life is short," Faith said.

Willow fixed them with a steady gaze. "Life is short."

"Not original, we'll grant you," Buffy shrugged. "But it's true. Why waste time being all shy? Why worry about some guy or girl and if he or she is gonna laugh at you? You know? Seize the moment. 'Cause tomorrow you might be dead."

"Oh . . ." Willow smiled. "That's nice . . ."

Buffy's glance went quickly around the crowds. As she spotted someone moving about on the balcony above them, her brow creased in a frown. She nudged Faith who followed her gaze and nodded.

"We'll be back in a minute," Faith promised.

"That's okay," Willow assured her. "You two don't have to come back."

Smiling at their friend's self-effacing attitude, Faith said again, more firmly this time, "We'll be back in a minute."

Buffy and Faith weren't sure if Willow heard. The girl's head was lowered and she was murmuring to herself, "Seize the moment . . ." while the sisters took off again through the crowds.

It didn't take them long to find the stairs. They pushed their way up and onto the balcony and noticed that Marie, Savannah and Giles stood fairly close to each other. The sisters managed to find room next to Giles against the railing.

"So, you like to party with the students?" Buffy teased Giles and Marie. "Isn't that kind of skanky?"

Giles's tone was withering. "Right. This is me having fun."

"More like," Marie said. "I'm here spending time with my niece."

"Watching Clown-hair prance about is hardly my idea of a party," Giles continued. "I'd much prefer to be home with a cup of Bovril and a good book."

Faith rolled her eyes. "You need a personality, _stat."_

"This is a perfect breeding ground for vampire activity," Giles admonished Faith.

Buffy and Faith looked at each other and then at Marie and Savannah and wondered how come the mention of vampires hadn't surprised either of them.

"Dark, crowded," Giles went on, "besides, I knew you two were likely to show up. And I have to make you understand—"

"That the Harvest is coming, we know, your friend told us," Buffy said.

Giles seemed completely thrown off by this remark. He shot Buffy an anxious glance. "What did you say?"

"The . . . Harvest," Buffy said carefully. "That means something to you? 'Cause I'm drawing a blank. Faith?"

"Me too," Faith said.

"I'm not sure. . . . Who told you this?"

"She said her name was Rei Mori," Faith said. "About my height, Japanese, said she was immortal and had at one time been a Slayer."

Giles eyes went wide. "She contacted the two of you?" he asked.

"You know who she is?" Buffy asked.

"Yes," Giles said. "She was a Slayer at the end of the sixteen hundreds, when she died. She's now immortal. The Watcher's Council no longer considers her an active Slayer. What did she say, exactly?"

Buffy looked to Faith. "She told us she was immortal. For us to ask you about her and that you should have received a call from someone named Joe Dawson."

"I know of him," Giles said. "Joe Dawson is part of the Council that chronicles the immortals lives. Though I was under the impression he was Duncan Macleod's Watcher."

"Duncan Macleod?" Savannah asked.

"An Immortal," Giles said. "Slightly older than Rei Mori. He was the first immortal that Rei Mori came in contact with if I am not mistaken."

"So she was telling the truth?" Buffy asked.

"Yes," Giles said.

"Buffy," Faith said drawing Buffy, Giles, Savannah and Marie's attention and causing them to follow her gaze. "Isn't that Willow?"

Buffy looked down and saw Willow talking to a good-looking guy. He was dressed as if it was still the nineteen seventies instead of the nineteen nineties. "And the guy she's with is a vampire."

"Are you sure?" Giles asked.

It wasn't Buffy or Faith who answered but Savannah. "Look at his jacket," she said. "He's got the sleeves rolled up. And the shirt . . . it's carbon dated!"

"Savannah's right," Buffy agreed. "Only someone who's been living underground for ten years would think that was the look. Oh no …"

The vampire motioned for Willow to come with him and Willow began to follow.

"What is she doing?" Giles asked.

"Seizing the moment," Faith threw back at him as she and Buffy started for the stairs.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Not far away Rei had been watching the exchange. She too was puzzled on why Giles, whom she had quickly identified as Buffy and Faith's Watcher, would mention vampires around civilians. She wondered if Giles knew something about Marie and Savannah that she did not. She did not recognize either of them. Instead of following Buffy and Faith she followed Marie and Savannah out the door of the Bronze as they too went in search of Willow and the vampire.

Rei watched as Marie sniffed the air and frowned.

"To many humans," Marie said to Savannah, who nodded. They ran around the Bronze and down a side alley and Rei followed at a distance.

Rei's eyes went wide at what she saw next.

Marie, once she and Savannah were away from the crowds, removed her clothes and then began to change.

Rei watched as Savannah stuffed Marie's clothes in a backpack as Marie changed from human to wolf and then they took off at a run, Savannah obviously having no trouble keeping up with Marie. "So that is likely what the Watcher knows."

Rei took off following Savannah and the now transformed Marie. She stayed far enough away and downwind so that Marie would not smell her. They eventually arrived at a mausoleum and both Marie and Savannah paused at the door.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Who the hell are you?" Darla growled as she looked at Buffy and Faith who stood close to the door of the mausoleum.

"Wow, you mean there's actually somebody around here who doesn't know already?" Buffy tossed back.

"That's a relief," Faith added. "I'm telling you, having a secret identity in this town is a job of work."

As the sisters held their attention, Xander moved in between the two vampires. Nothing had quite prepared the creatures for this unexpected turn of events, and they slowly loosened their grips on Willow and Jesse.

"Faith, Buffy, we bail now, right?" Xander prompted, but Willow's date had managed to recover himself a little.

"Not yet," he snarled.

"Okay, first of all, what's with this outfit?" Buffy baited him. "Live in the now, okay? You look like DeBarge."

Faith looked at Darla and added, completely unperturbed, "Now, we can do this the hard way, or . . . well, actually, there's just the hard way."

Darla stood her ground. "Fine with me."

"You sure?" Buffy said. "It's not gonna be pretty. We're talking violence, strong language, adult content."

Even as the sisters spoke, Willow's date rushed Buffy from behind, charging with lightning speed. With one graceful motion, Buffy whipped a stake out from beneath her jacket and stuck it out behind her. There was a dull puncture sound as the creature impaled himself. He stopped, eyes round with surprise, and then he thudded to the floor.

Faith nor Buffy even looked at him.

As he hit the ground, his body crumbled to dust.

"See what happens when you roughhouse?" Faith told Darla.

Xander and Willow were speechless. All they could do was stare at the cold, empty floor where a body had lain only seconds ago. Darla, on the other hand, was wide-eyed and wary, but definitely not cowed.

She moved slowly around Faith and Buffy, preparing to fight the girls herself.

"He was young," Darla said in disgust. "And stupid."

"Xander, go," Buffy ordered.

"Don't go far," Darla echoed.

Without warning Darla lunged at Faith. Faith met her head-on, parrying Darla's blows with martial arts precision, while Xander herded the others out.

The three ran as quickly as they could through the woods, Willow and Xander half dragging, half carrying Jesse past Marie and Savannah, who they did not even notice were there.

"You know, we just wanted to start over," Buffy said peevishly as Faith planted one foot on Darla's chest. "Be like everybody else. Have some friends, maybe a dog . . . but no. You had to come here. You couldn't go suck on some other town."

"Who _are_ you two?" Darla glared up at her, fury in her eyes.

"Don't you know?" Faith wondered.

But before Faith could go on, a hand grabbed her by the throat and lifted her bodily from the ground. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Buffy was in the same predicament.

"I don't care," Luke said slowly.

They hadn't sensed him behind them. Luke tossed the sisters into the air with no effort at all, hurling them a good fifteen feet. They landed badly and hit the wall with their faces.

Luke turned on Darla, who was struggling to get up.

"You were supposed to be bringing an offering for the Master," he berated her. "We're almost at Harvest, and you dally with these children?"

"We had someone." Frightened now, Darla tried to defend herself. "But _they_ came and," she pointed at Buffy, "she killed Thomas," she now pointed at Faith, "and Luke, she's strong."

Luke fixed her with a contemptuous stare. "You go. I'll see if I can handle the little girls." He closed in on the sisters and grabbed them. He'd counted on them being stunned, but they were ready for him this time. They knocked his arms away, then kicked him smartly in the face. It sent him back just a little, but he recovered himself almost instantly, landing a solid punch to each of their jaws.

"You both _are_ strong," Luke muttered. He slammed them back to the ground and gave a throaty laugh. "I'm stronger."

Buffy and Faith wrestled away from Luke and got to their feet and circled slowly around the tomb, keeping it safely between them and Luke.

"You two are wasting my time," Luke said calmly.

"Hey," Buffy retorted, "we had other plans, too, okay?"

Luke shoved at the lid of the tomb. As the heavy stone slab flew straight at the sisters, they leaped over it and jumped on top. With one swift movement, they flipped over and planted both feet solidly on Luke's chest.

The momentum caused all of them to fall, but Faith and Buffy managed to get up first, pulling out their stakes and driving them toward his chest. Luke's hands shot out and grabbed them just before they made contact.

"You two think you can stop me?" Luke's face was twisted with rage. "Stop us?"

He squeezed his fist. The stakes splintered like a matchstick in his powerful grip and he punched Faith and Buffy violently, knocking them backward.

"You have no idea what you're dealing with," he snarled.

Victorious now, he stood over them. His voice lowered, and he began to intone the sacred text.

"And like a plague of boils, the race of man covered the earth. But on the third day of the newest light will come the Harvest . . ."

Faith noticed that Buffy looked like she was out of it. She was about to take the fight back to Luke when she heard a roar. She looked up as a wolf crouched at the door of the mausoleum.

And then the wolf leapt.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hopefully by now you have figured out who Anne and Marie are in reality. They are being referred to Anne and Marie in this story to keep confusion down to a minimum. Their inclusion as I stated in the author's note back up top is to bring their story to a conclusion. In another words DOTC leads into DOTC 2. DOTC 2 leads into DOTC 3. And DOTC 3 leads back into DOTC 1. So Anne and Marie of DOTC 1 are Buffy and Dawn of DOTC 3.


	5. Chapter 4: The Harvest Part 1

**Chapter 4: The Harvest Part 1**

The wolf leapt at Luke knocking him back and away from Buffy and Faith.

~ Go, ~ came a voice inside Faith and Buffy's head. ~ I'll be right behind you once I deal with this vampire. ~

Faith helped Buffy to her feet and not wanting to question the mysterious voice in her head she helped her sister out of the mausoleum.

Marie, the wolf, leapt at Luke again and grabbed his throat in her jaws and ripped it out. He made a gurgling sound as she grabbed his head in her jaws and then ripped his head from his shoulders, decapitating him.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Rei had watched Buffy and Faith run from the mausoleum after the wolf had entered. She quietly rushed over to the entrance and watched as the wolf dusted the vampire by ripping its head off. "Seems she is definitely on the good side."

~ You would be correct. ~ came a voice in Rei's head.

She looked around as the wolf exited the mausoleum.

~ Greetings Rei Mori. I am Marie Danvers, I am a werewolf and a witch. That is how you are hearing my throughts. I'm utilizing a telepathic spell. ~

"You are the one that was named the Green Witch," Rei said her eyes wide with realization, "by the Navajo."

~ Yes. We must find Buffy, Faith, Willow, Xander, Jesse and my niece. ~

Rei nodded in agreement. She watched as Marie sniffed the air and then took off into the woods.

"You can smell them can't you?" Rei asked.

~ Yes. Amongst my Pack, myself and my sister are the best trackers. ~

Suddenly they heard Willow scream from just up ahead. "No! Nooo! Get—off—"

They burst upon the scene just behind Buffy and Faith, they could see Willow on the ground, wrestling with a vampire and Savannah was wrestling with another two.

Buffy and Faith had yet to spot Savannah and were heading for Willow and the vampire.

Marie spotted her niece and leapt at one of the vampires catching his head in her jaws and ripping his head off. Savannah whipped out a stake and dusted the other.

Rei's eyes went wide at what she had just seen as she wondered was there three Slayers? How was that even possible?

Faith kicked the vampire wrestling with Willow in the face sending him sprawling. He gave a grunt of pain, then staggered to his feet, holding his nose and trying to get away. He turned to find Buffy waiting as she thrust a stake into the vampire's heart.

Buffy and Faith scanned their surroundings looking for Jesse and Xander. They heard a cracking sound followed by unmistakable scuffling, and they took off, leaving Willow still sitting there on the ground, her eyes huge with fright, her body trembling.

Marie looked around and noticed that Rei was gone. She turned and loped over to her niece and Willow.

~ Are you alright, Willow? ~

Willow looked around at the sound of the voice in her head. She then spotted the wolf coming toward her.

"It's alright," Savannah said. "This is my Aunt Marie. You met her today in history class, she's the new teacher."

~ I'm a werewolf and a witch. Come on we better go make sure Buffy and Faith are alright. ~

Willow nodded as they followed the path Buffy and Faith had taken.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

It didn't take Buffy and Faith long to find Xander. He was being dragged away by two more vampires.

~ Buffy, Faith, I am Marie Danvers, the new history teacher. I am also a werewolf as well as a witch. That's how you are hearing my thoughts. I will give you the distraction you need to dust the vampires. ~

Suddenly a howl filled the night and the vampires turned to look at Marie. They turned back again, but Buffy and Faith stood there blocking their escape. It was easy to take them both out. With one quick punch, the sisters knocked them off their feet and they scrambled to get up and get away.

But they didn't scramble fast enough.

Grabbing a branch from a nearby tree, Buffy snapped it off and then broke it in two handing one piece to Faith. They charged the vampires, nailing them neatly through the chest.

Willow, followed by Savannah, ran up to Xander and knelt beside him, cradling his head in her arms. To Willow's relief he seemed to be coming to, and after blinking a few times, he frowned up at her, trying to get his bearings.

"Xander . . . are you okay?" Willow asked softly.

"Man . . ." Xander still seemed a little disoriented. "Something hit me . . ."

Buffy and Faith peered hard through the trees.

"Where's Jesse?" Faith asked.

For the first time Willow seemed to realize that Jesse was missing. "I don't know," she shook her head. "They surrounded us—he was really weak . . ."

"That girl grabbed him," Xander mumbled. "Took off."

~ Do you remember which way? ~

Xander looked at Marie and his eyes widened.

Savannah let out a sigh. "My Aunt Marie is both a werewolf and a witch."

"Oh," Xander said, "and I don't know."

 _"We'll find him. Right now we need to worry about Willow and Xander,"_ Marie said as Buffy and Faith nodded. _"And I think you should take Willow and Xander to Giles. They will have questions."_

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"We're back," Savannah called out as she and Marie walked through the front door.

"Well?" Anne asked as she and Clay walked out of the living room.

"Introduced myself," Marie said. "Literally. Your past self as well as Willow and Xander know I'm a wolf and a witch."

"What!" Clay said. "Their humans. And you let them know you're a wolf?"

Anne turned on Clay and growled. "We have Jeremy's permission to tell Willow, Xander and Giles. They know about the supernatural. Willow is Dawn's granddaughter, several generations removed. She's a witch and will be coming into her powers next year. Giles is my watcher. And Dawn's and my surrogate father. Or have you forgotten where Logan's middle name came from?"

"No I haven't forgotten. Though I didn't know Jeremy had given permission to tell them," Clay said.

"He gave us permission," Dawn said, "because he knew they would have to be told eventually. You have to remember as far as Giles is concerned Buffy is a Slayer. Once Willow and I activate the Slayers in seven years, he will be send them to us to be trained. Anyways they have to be told. It would have been preferable to hold off till Buffy and I return to the year that we left. But that wasn't an option."

Clay nodded. He didn't like it. Humans' knowing about the Pack was against Pack Law. Of course he knew that Buffy was going to change Pack Law when she took over from Jeremy. Besides if Jeremy had said it was okay then who was he to question the Alpha, the Alpha-elect and the Beta-elect.

"There is another thing," Savannah said. "They may know there is something different about me if they saw me fighting two vampires at once."

Anne let out a sigh as she looked to her daughter, who was the first ever hereditary Slayer/witch hybrid. "We'll cross that bridge if or when we come to it. Till then don't lead on that you might be a Slayer."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Mr. Giles," said Quentin Travers from the other end of the phone. After Giles had left the Bronze he had returned home to call the Watcher's Council and find out why Rei Mori's message had not been passed on. "Rei Mori is dead."

"She is an immortal," Giles said.

"True, but as far as this branch of the Council is concerned she is dead and no longer a Slayer."

"Understood. Still what she had relayed to the council may be beneficial," Giles argued.

"Very well, and I am not saying it is, Rei Mori found out that Joseph Heinrich Nest is still alive."

"Nest," Giles said. "He and his followers call himself the Master."

"Correct," Travers said. "How this information pertains to your Slayers though I have no idea and that is why the Council decided not to pass on the information as they could see no relevance."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The next morning Buffy was heading for the library, Faith had already taken Xander and Willow there, when Flutie walked up to her. "Buffy," he said as a girl came up beside him. "This is Rei Mori, she's a new student. Since you have had a day to get acquainted with the campus, I felt you would be able to help her get acquainted with it as well."

Buffy looked at the girl shocked when Flutie said her name. How could this girl be Rei Mori? "How?" she asked when Flutie had walked away.

Rei smiled. "It's a glamour spell. I'm not a witch but one did teach me this spell. I'm here to help you and Faith. Did you talk to your Watcher?"

Buffy sighed and nodded. "He knew of you, yes. In fact he's talking to Willow and Xander right now explaining what happened last night."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"This world is older than any of you know," Giles told Xander and Willow solemnly, spinning a globe for emphasis. "And contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise."

"For untold eons, demons walked the earth. Made it their home . . . their hell," Marie added.

Willow and Xander both listened intently.

"Yes. In time they lost their purchase on this reality," he continued, carrying an armload of books down the stairs, "and the way was made for the mortal animals. For man. What remains of the Old Ones are vestiges. Certain magics, certain creatures ..."

"And vampires," Faith added.

Xander stood up, clearly agitated. "Okay, this is where I have a problem; see, because we're now talking about vampires." He frowned. "We're having a talk with vampires in it."

"Isn't that what we saw last night?" Willow asked.

"No, those weren't vampires," Savannah quipped. "Those were just some guys in thundering need of a facial. Or maybe they had rabies—coulda been rabies. And that guy turning to dust . . . just a trick of the light." She ignored the look Xander gave her and regarded him with total understanding. "That's exactly what I said the first time Aunt Marie and my mom introduced me to a vampire."

"Oooh . . ." Willow murmured. "I need to sit down."

"You are sitting down," Savannah reminded her.

"Oh." Willow gave a vacant nod. "Good for me."

"So vampires are demons?" Xander went on, while Giles again tried to clarify.

"The books tell that the last demon to leave this reality fed off a human, mixed their blood. He was a human form possessed—infected—by the demon's soul." Giles handed Xander one of the heavy volumes. "He bit another, and another . . . and so they walk the earth feeding. Killing some, mixing their blood with others to make more of their kind. Waiting for the animals to die out and the—"

"—Old Ones to return," Marie finished just as Buffy and Rei walked through the library doors.

"As long as there has been demons, there has been the Slayer," Giles continued to explain. He looked to Rei and then Buffy.

"Rei Mori," Buffy said at the unasked question.

"And that would be a what?" Xander asked Giles.

"One girl in all the world—" Giles recited deciding he would talk to Rei in a few moments.

"Well actually two now," Faith interjected. "They also don't need the whole spiel."

"All right," Giles conceded, speeding up a little. "They hunt vampires, one Slayer dies, the next is called, Buffy and Faith are Slayers, the only fraternal twins to ever be called simultaneously, don't tell anyone." He stopped and drew a breath. "I think that's all the vampire information you need."

"Except for one thing," Xander spoke up. "How do you kill them?" He looked to Dawn and Savannah. "And who are you two?"

"You don't," Buffy corrected him. "Faith and I do."

"I am a witch, a very old witch. Older than I look. I drank from the fountain of youth over 200 years ago," Marie said. "I am also a werewolf. I was bitten 16 years ago." Giles gave her a look. "There is no need to worry. I am safe when Changed. I am in control of the wolf."

"I too am a witch," Savannah said remembering not to say anything about being a hereditary Slayer. "But I am not immortal like my aunt nor am I a werewolf."

"Jesse—" Xander started.

"Jesse's our responsibility. We let him get taken," Faith said indicating herself and Buffy.

Xander frowned. "That's not true."

"If you three hadn't shown up," Willow added loyally, "they would have ... taken us, too ... Does anybody mind if I pass out?"

"Breathe . . ." Savannah ordered her.

Willow nodded. "Breathe."

"Breathe," Savannah echoed.

Faith looked to Giles, "This big guy, Luke, he talked about an offering to the Master. I don't know who or what that was."

"Joseph Heinrich Nest," Rei said as everyone looked to her. "I'm slayer that died during the latter half of the seventeenth century and become immortal. He is called by himself and his followers, The Master. I was chasing him in nineteen thirty-seven when he disappeared. A source that appears to be reliable with the right motivation said he is trapped within the Hellmouth."

"Hellmouth?" Buffy asked.

"A mystical convergence centered in Sunnydale," Rei said.

"Then its possible," Faith said, "that this Master guy wasn't just feeding, which means Jesse may still be alive. Buffy and I are gonna find him."

Calmer now, Willow offered a suggestion. "This is probably a dumb question, but shouldn't we call the police?"

"Do you think they'd believe us?" Marie asked.

"We don't have to say vampires," Willow stammered. "We could say there was . . . a bad man."

Buffy shook her head consolingly. "They couldn't handle it if they did come. They'd only show up with guns."

"And guns are no use against vampires," Savannah added. "They will hurt yes, but they won't kill."

"You've no idea where they took Jesse?" Giles asked looking at Marie, Savannah, Faith and Buffy.

"Marie, Faith, Savannah and I looked around," Buffy said, "but ... soon as they got clear of the woods they could have just—" Buffy made a quick motion with her hand. "—whoom."

"Can they fly?" Xander looked surprised.

Marie shook her head. "They can drive."

"Oh."

"Also I tried smelling for him," Marie added. "There were too many scents in the area, both human and vampire. I couldn't tell Jesse's scent from the others. It's possible they hightailed it either the sewers or to a car."

Willow tried to think back. "I don't remember hearing a car."

"Well, let's take an enormous intuitive leap and say they went underground," Giles said.

"Vampires really jam on sewer systems," Buffy agreed. "You can get anywhere in town without catching any rays. I didn't see any access around there, though."

"Neither did I," Savannah said. "Aunt Marie?"

Marie shook her head.

Rei thought back and then shook her head.

Xander shrugged. "Well, there are electrical tunnels. They run under the whole town."

For a moment Giles considered this. "If we had a diagnostic of the tunnel system, it might indicate a meeting place. I suppose we could go to the building commission—"

"We so don't have time," Buffy cut him off.

"Uh, guys?" Willow said tentatively. "There may be another way."

"While you are searching this other way," Giles said. "Ms. Mori can I see you privately?"

Rei nodded and she followed Giles into his office.

"The Council …"

"I know," Rei said. "Even though I'm alive, I'm dead to them, I've been dead to them since Jyoti gave me the poison that brought about my first death."

"For that reason they did not pass on your information till I called them. They believed that Nest could not pertain in any way to Buffy and Faith," Giles said.

Rei sighed. "I should have figured. Though it doesn't surprise me. When I started having the dreams …"

"Dreams?" Giles asked.

"I'm underground, lost," Rei said. "Some underground chamber with a red pool. I also saw the Vampyr book."

"This book," Giles said taking said book off the self.

"Yes," Rei said with a nod. "I believe the dream maybe somehow connected to Faith and Buffy. That I was seeing things through their eyes."

"That is plausible," Giles said. "Slayers do get prophetic dreams and while the Council considers you dead, you are still a Slayer. You still have the abilities, correct?"

"Yes."

"If you have anymore, tell me. Consider me your Watcher."

"Which one?" Rei said with a laugh.

"Your chronicler, who is your current Watcher?"

"I don't have one," Rei said. "Though Joe Dawson has been keeping an unofficial account."

"I know Joe," Giles said. "I'll call him for your chronicles."

"There it is," Buffy said eagerly from the other room.

Rei and Giles walked back out into the library to find Willow sitting at the computer while everyone else gathered around her. They walked over and saw that on the screen was a complete map of the city's electrical tunnels.

"This runs under the graveyard," Willow explained, pointing to one in particular, but Xander shook his head.

"I don't see any access," Savannah said.

"So all the city plans are just open to the public?" Giles asked.

"Uh, well, in a way," Willow frowned a little sheepishly. "I sort of stumbled onto them when I accidentally . . . decrypted the city council's security system."

Xander's focus remained on the screen. "Someone's been naughty . . ."

"There's nothing here," Buffy sounded disappointed. "This is useless!"

"Wait," Faith said. "Luke came from behind us when we were in the mausoleum. He didn't come through the front door. We would have seen him, besides he would have had to pass by Marie."

"Savannah and I were just outside the door," Marie said. "He definitely did not pass by us."

"Which means the entrance to the tunnels is in the mausoleum."

"Are you sure?" Giles straightened.

"The girl must have doubled back with Jesse after we got out," Buffy said.

Xander stepped back, ready for action. "So what's the plan? We saddle up, right?"

"There's no 'we,'" Buffy corrected him. "Faith, Rei and I are Slayers and you're not."

"I knew you were gonna throw that in my face," Xander grumbled.

"Xander, this is dangerous," Rei said.

"I'm inadequate. That's fine. I'm less than a man."

Xander turned his back on her and walked off. With a sympathetic glance in Xander's direction, Willow appealed to Buffy, Faith and Rei.

"I'm not anxious to go into a dark place full of monsters, but I do want to help. I need to."

"Then help me," Giles replied without hesitation. "I've been researching this Harvest affair. Seems to be some sort of preordained massacre. Rivers of blood, hell on earth . . . quite charmless. I am fuzzy on the details, however, and it may be that you can wrest some information from that dread machine."

He paused, glancing from one uncomprehending look to another.

"That was a bit British, wasn't it?" he admitted, embarrassed.

Buffy smiled. "Welcome to the new world."

"I want you to go on the Net," Giles translated.

"Oh!" Willow brightened. "Yeah. Sure. I can do that."

"I'll help you," Savannah said.

"Then Faith, Rei and I are out of here," Buffy announced. "If Jesse's alive, we'll bring him back."

Giles stepped forward, his grave expression softening. "Do I have to tell you to be careful? Unlike Rei you two are not immortal."

Faith and Buffy met his eyes for a long moment.

And then they and Rei went out.

"Marie can I see you for a moment," Giles said as he led Marie into his office and closed the door behind him. "You said you and Savannah were at the door. That means …"

"That we already knew that the vampires had gone to that mausoleum for a reason," Marie said. "And that Luke had not passed us before Faith mentioned he came up behind them. You are correct. The thing is, Savannah and I were sent to protect Buffy and Faith from a potential threat that may not even come after them. In that regards we are given information from a reliable source on what is to come and we're not allowed to alter those events. Which means Buffy and Faith have to make the decisions they were originally to make without mine or Savannah's interference."

Giles nodded. "I see. So if you know something that can change an outcome. You can't reveal what it is till Buffy or Faith discovered it for herself. So for example if Buffy or Faith were potentially to die you would not say anything till it is too late."

"That is true. You know I wish I could change how things go. By the time Buffy and Faith are done they will deserve the rest they so crave. Everything must happen as it has been foreseen. There are reasons for it, reasons that will only be revealed at the appropriate time. Such as tonight, the sisters had to discover for themselves where the entrance to the tunnels were. For them it was a revelation. They are now on the path to embracing their destiny, with Rei at their side."

"With Rei, you knew who she was too?" Giles asked.

Marie nodded. "I met her about fifty years after her first death. She is one reason I have cast a glamour spell on myself. This is not how I really look."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Savannah, Willow and Xander left the library and went out into the hall. The bell had rung and students were already filing into their classes.

"Murder, death, disaster," Willow mumbled, making a list in her notebook as they walked. "What else?"

"Paranormal, unexplained." Xander thought a minute, and then asked, "You got natural disasters?"

Willow gave him a nod. "Earthquake, flood . . ."

"Rain of toads."

Savannah rolled her eyes.

"Right," Willow said.

"Rain of toads." Xander's tone bordered on disbelief. "Are they really gonna have anything like that in the paper?"

"We'll put it on the search," Savannah said. "I doubt it will turn up though. Still anything that'll lead us to the Master and his vampires."

Xander looked grumpy. "And I, meanwhile, will help by standing around like an idiot."

"Not like an idiot," Savannah soothed him. "Just standing. Buffy and Faith doesn't want you getting hurt. The only reason Rei is going is because she is an immortal Slayer. If it weren't for the fact that Aunt Marie has classes to teach, I would have suspected they would have taken her along as well since she is not just a witch but a werewolf. Aunt Marie is stronger and faster than your average human.

They'd reached Savannah and Willow's class. The three of them stood side by side outside the door.

"This is just too much," Xander sighed. "Yesterday my life is like, 'Oh, no. Pop quiz.' Today—rain of toads."

"I know," Willow agreed, looking around at all the other students. "And everyone else thinks it's just a normal day."

"Nobody knows. It's like we've got this big secret."

"We do," Savannah said. "That's what a secret is. When you know something other guys don't." Her gentle sarcasm was totally lost on Xander.

"Right," he said. "Well, you two better get to class."

"You mean 'we.' 'We' should get to class," Willow said.

"Yeah."

"Faith and Buffy will be okay," Savannah reassured him. "Whatever's down there, I know they can handle. Besides with Rei, an immortal Slayer from the sixteen hundreds, they won't have much to worry about."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

In the library, Giles was on a quest as he poured over the ancient texts spread out upon the table, reading passages, pondering their various meanings. He'd been at it for some time now, and the look on his face was weary but still determined. He picked up yet another of his volumes, consulted it, and suddenly discovered something quite interesting.

He didn't notice that Marie had entered the library.

Giles peered closely at one particular passage. And then he began to translate it aloud, softly to himself, from the original Latin.

"'For they will gather, and be gathered. All that is theirs shall be his. . . . From the Vessel pours life.'"

Giles paused, repeating thoughtfully, "Pours life . . ."

"It has to do with the Harvest," Marie said as he looked up at her. "Not entirely sure what though."

Giles nodded as Marie sat beside him and they studied the engraving on the facing page of the book. The picture showed a hideous man-beast with his hand extended, commanding a throng of villagers. All of the villagers were bleeding. Below them, in what might have been hell, a demon glowed with power.

Upon the bestial one's forehead, a crude symbol had been drawn. A star with three points.

Giles squinted behind his glasses, peering intently at yet another passage. Once more he began to read.

"On the night of the crescent moon, the first past the solstice, it will come."

He straightened up. Realization dawned upon his face as he looked at Marie.

"Of course," he mumbled. "Rei's source was correct. Tonight."

"Yeah," Dawn said, "by the looks of it. I've been feeling an increase of mystical energies today. But I didn't know for exactly what."

"So your source, doesn't tell you everything?" Giles asked.

"No," Dawn said. "It's kind of a security precaution so that Savannah and I can make sure things continue as they should but at the same we can't influence those same things more than needed."

"Inadvertently causing you and your niece to walk a fine line," Giles said as Dawn nodded. "Help too much and you can change things from what the Seer tells you. Which could change the outcome of events even further down the road. Help too little and the same result can be had."

"Correct," Dawn said.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Are we going to the Bronze tonight?" Harmony asked Cordelia.

Savannah and Willow were in computer class finishing up their assignments.

"No!" Cordelia burst out in total frustration. "It's supposed to find the syntax and match it. Or, wait ..."

Harmony kept her eyes on the keyboard, typing slowly. "Are we going to the Bronze tonight?" she asked again.

"No," Cordelia retorted. "We're going to the other cool place in Sunnydale."

Harmony gave her a blank look, and Cordelia sighed.

"Of course we're going to the Bronze! Friday night, no cover. But you should have been there last night."

Harmony frowned at their program. "I think we did this part wrong."

"Why do we have to devise these programs?" Cordelia asked irritably. "Isn't that what nerds are for?" She glanced at the desk beside them where Savannah and Willow was sitting. "What did they do?" she mumbled.

Harmony craned over to look at Savannah and Willow who were busy researching the Harvest having completed their work.

Harmony shrugged and looked at Cordelia. "Uh, they're doing something else."

Cordelia glared. "Okay," she said to Harmony. "And then 'Pattern Run,' right? Or 'Go To End.' That's it."

Harmony looked completely lost. "Maybe ... I think ..."

"Well, what does the book say?" Cordelia was practically out of patience. "So anyway," she went on, "I come out of the bathroom and she comes running at me with a stick, screaming, 'I'm gonna kill you! I'm gonna kill you!' I swear."

"Who?" Jared asked.

With smug satisfaction Cordelia realized she'd finally hooked an audience.

"Buffy," she told him.

"One of the new girls," Harmony echoed.

Jared looked puzzled. "What's her deal?"

"She and her sister are both crazed!" Cordelia said.

"Did you hear about their old school?" Harmony asked conspiratorially. "Booted."

"I exhibit no surprise," Cordelia declared.

Jared leaned closer. "Why were they kicked out?"

"'Cause their psycholoony," Cordelia said.

"No, they're not," Savannah said, firmly and calmly as she turned to stare at them.

"What?" Cordelia leveled her with an icy gaze.

"Neither Buffy or Faith are psycho," Savannah said. "You don't even know them."

Cordelia's voice rose indignantly. "Excuse me? Who gave you permission to exist? Do I horn in on your private discussions? No. Why? Because you're boring."

Savannah glared at Cordelia as her eyes went solid black and magical energy began to crackle around her.

"Uh, Savannah," Willow said having noticed what was going on. "If you're done why don't we go to the library?"

Cordelia and the others turned back to their projects.

"There." Harmony sounded relieved. "I think the program's done."

Cordelia nodded. "Finally the nightmare ends. Now how do we save it?"

Willow was leading Savannah out the door. She glanced back and said, "Deliver."

"Deliver." Cordelia stared at the screen. "Where is that—oh!"

"Thanks," Savannah said as Willow noted her eyes returning to normal.

"Are you okay?" Willow asked.

"Yeah," Savannah said. "My magic tends to rear its ugly head when I get angry sometimes. When I was younger I was taught dark magick. I don't actively practice it, but it's in my system. It kind of runs in my family. My cousin delved into the dark magicks and got addicted. It nearly destroyed her. I grew up hearing her story."

"Why were you taught dark magicks?" Willow asked.

"My mom and I were captured by these people and separated from each other. I was just coming into my powers and another witch taught me dark magicks in an attempt to help get me free from our captors," Savannah said. What she had said was only partially true. The mother she was referring to was actually her adoptive mother. Anne, her birth mother, and she were reunited after Anne and Marie had been captured and they had escaped the complex together.

"Is that where you mom…" Willow said.

"Died, yes," Savannah said as she remembered Eve, her adoptive mother, who was killed by their captors.


	6. Chapter 5: The Harvest Part 2

**Chapter 5: The Harvest Part 2**

"They're close," Buffy said.

Buffy, Faith and Rei had been walking in the tunnels when Xander had joined them. Buffy had wanted Xander to go back that it was too dangerous. But Faith wanted Xander to stay. She knew that Xander needed to find his friend and was thrilled to have his company.

"How can you tell?" Xander asked nervously.

"No more rats," Rei answered for Buffy.

It wasn't exactly the information he wanted to hear, but Xander said nothing. They passed through several more tunnels before he spoke again.

"Over there." He stopped, pointing. "What's that?"

Ahead of them was a small, gloomy side chamber. They could just barely make out the outline of a doorway, but past that, nothing.

After a quick glance behind them, they walked closer. Xander pulled out his flashlight and played it slowly over the entrance. The light shone faintly just beyond the opening. Over the motionless shape of a body, lying face down on the ground.

Xander drew a quick, sudden breath. "Jesse!"

"Oh, no . . ." Buffy murmured. She started forward and was immediately stopped by a hand on her arm. She looked at the hand and then at Rei. "What?"

"It's a trap," Rei said. "And Jesse has been turned. He is bait."

"How do you know?" Faith asked.

"Three hundred years of honing my Slayer senses," Rei said. "We must leave, this way." They turned and headed down a corridor away from Jesse, who roared out in anger at the trap not being sprung.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Marie and Giles were pouring intently over Giles notes. When they suddenly realized that someone had entered the library, he glanced up, his voice hopeful.

"Buffy?"

Willow shook her head, looking apologetic. "It's just Savannah and I. So there's no word?"

Giles's face fell. "Not as yet." He looked very tired as he took off his glasses.

"Well, I'm sure they're ... great," Willow offered, trying to reassure herself as much as him.

"Did you two find anything of interest?" he asked Willow and Savannah.

The girls sat down, spreading out the copied articles so he could see.

"It appears Rei was correct about the Master disappearing in thirty-seven. Several months before an earthquake that year," Savannah placed her finger on one of the pages, "there was a rash of murders. And after the earthquake nothing."

"It appears Rei's source was correct. It's all coming together." He nodded. And then, with an anxious glance at Savannah and Willow, "I rather wish it weren't."

Just then Rei, Faith, Buffy and Xander walked through the library doors.

"Did you find Jesse?" Willow asked.

"I am sorry," Rei said. "We were too late. It was a trap and Jesse was turned to use as bait for the trap."

Buffy looked to Giles. "So, Giles, Marie, you two got anything that can make this day worse?"

Marie and Savannah both smiled, but said nothing.

"How about the end of the world?" Giles replied calmly. "It appears your contact, Rei, was correct."

Rei sighed. "That Master," she said as Giles nodded. "He's a very old, older than me, and he's very powerful. I surmised at the time of his disappearance that he had come because of the Hellmouth, he hoped to open it."

"Bring the demons back," Buffy said.

"End of the world," Xander clarified.

"But he blew it," Willow picked up the story. "Or, I mean, there was an earthquake that swallowed about half the town."

"And him, too—or at least there were no more vampire-type killings afterward," added Savannah.

"That would explain how he disappeared," Rei said.

Giles looked thoughtful as he pulled up a chair. "Opening dimensional portals is tricky business."

Marie rolled her eyes. "Not as tricky as one might think," she said as everyone looked at her. "Savannah and I have some experience in opening portals. I along with Savannah's mother were at the center of one such portal. And Savannah and I were at the center of another."

Giles nodded deciding to ask Marie later about the portals she and her niece had been involved with as he continued. "Odds are he got himself stuck. Like a cork in a bottle."

"And this Harvest thing is to get him out?" Xander asked.

"Yes," Rei said. "My source said that the Harvest would free him, tonight."

"It comes once in a century," Giles added. He stood and crossed to a chalkboard where he'd rendered several mysterious diagrams. He began to design several more as he explained. "A Master can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds. Enough power to break free and to open the portal. The minion is called the Vessel, and he bears this symbol."

He paused, pointing to a sketch of the three-pointed star.

"So," Faith said. "Buffy or I dust anyone sporting this look, and no Harvest."

"Simply put," Giles responded, "yes."

"Any clue where this little get-together is being held?" Rei wondered.

"Well, there are a number of possibilities—"

Before Giles could finish, Savannah broke in. "They're going to the Bronze."

The room went silent. They all stared at her.

"Are you sure?" Willow looked surprised.

"Very sure," Savannah said. "What better place than a building crowded with a bunch of our fellow classmates."

"Then we need to get there." Giles's voice was tense. "The sun will be down before long."

The six of them headed out the door, but Buffy and Faith suddenly turned in another direction.

"Faith and I gotta make a stop," Buffy explained. "Won't take long."

"What for?" Giles asked.

Buffy gave a secretive smile. "Supplies."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

There was no one outside when Buffy, Faith, Rei, Marie, Savannah and the others finally reached the Bronze. Buffy and Faith had been late getting there. When they got home they got a stern lecture from their mother for skipping classes and subsequently grounded. It wasn't like they could tell their mom that they were trying to save a potential friend from some vampires. They had to sneak out the window to keep their mom and Dawn both from knowing that they were leaving.

First Buffy and then Faith struggled to get the front door open, but it wouldn't budge.

"It's locked," Faith said.

Giles looked almost sick. "We're too late."

"Well, we didn't know we were gonna get grounded!" Buffy almost yelled at him.

"Can you guys break it down?" Xander asked looking at Rei, Faith, Buffy and Marie, but they shook their heads. He then looked solely at Marie. "How about a little …"

"Yes I could get us in," Marie said. "But that would spoil the surprise. And we need every advantage we can get."

"If I may ask …" Giles said.

Marie smiled as she disappeared in a flash of green and reappeared five feet away. "Teleportation spell. I'm one of the few that have managed to master it. We should split up. Buffy, Rei and Faith should find their own way in. We will try the back door."

"Right." Giles glanced from Savannah to Xander to Willow. "Come on."

"Guys!" Buffy called out to them.

The four of them stopped. Buffy handed them her bag.

"You get the exit cleared, and you get people out," Faith instructed them.

"That's all," Buffy added. "Don't go Wild Bunch on us."

"See you on the inside," Marie promised as she led the others around the building.

"I think I have a way in," Rei said. "I scouted the Bronze looking for easy points of access for this very reason. Follow me."

Buffy and Faith followed Rei circling the building in the other direction.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

It only took a minute for Giles and the others to reach the back. Xander tried the door, but it too was locked.

Marie smiled. "You will find I come in handy if you ever need to open a safe," she said. She took the door knob in hand and with a quick tug broke the lock.

Giles bent down and picked up a pipe as Marie and Savannah burst through the backstage exit. He, Xander and Willow were close behind.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Flushed with power, Angelus triumphantly dropped a body and looked about at his hostages. They were terrified, and it exhilarated him to see it. With two corpses lying before them, the reality—and the utter hopelessness—of their plight had begun to sink in, and he could hear screams and pitiful whimpers from the crowd.

In a corner under the stairs, Darla was facing off with Jesse. He still held on to Cordelia, and he was determined not to give her up.

"This one's mine," Jesse challenged her.

Darla had no time for his games. "They are _all_ for the Master," she told him, grabbing the stunned girl from his grasp and heading toward the stage.

Jesse paused, disappointed. "I don't get one?"

They didn't notice the upstairs window opening . . . the window by the balcony where an equally oblivious vampire stood with his back to it. No one saw first Rei, then Faith and finally Buffy slip in and no one saw them standing there, sizing up the situation.

"I feel him rising!" Angelus shouted. "I need another!"

Buffy nudged Faith and Rei who followed her gaze to the three-pointed star on Angelus's forehead. "The Vessel . . ." she whispered.

The vampire on duty heard Buffy and turned, he grabbed Rei who had been the closest to him.

Rei with her freehand motion for Buffy and Faith to stand back.

"Tonight is his ascension," Angelus informed the horrified onlookers. "Tonight will be history at its end! Yours is a glorious sacrifice. Degradation most holy." He stopped, his evil gaze sliding from one face to another. "What, no volunteers?"

And then Darla emerged, holding Cordelia. "Here's a pretty one," she said.

"Nooo . . ." Cordelia struggled, but to no avail. As she started to cry, Darla dragged her toward the stage and handed her over to Luke.

The activity had momentarily distracted Rei's captor. With one quick movement, she slipped from the vampire's grasp as she unsheathed her sword. With one quick swipe of it, she decapitated the vampire. "Hey," she said getting Angelus's attention, "Angelus."

Looking up, Angelus's face contorted with fury. _"YOU!"_

"You know him?" Buffy whispered.

Rei nodded. "I tracked him for about twenty years back around the turn of the century. I lost him when I managed to keep him from killing a gypsy girl." She looked to Angelus. "You want blood? How about mine? I'm a prime source and you know it."

A vampire rushed Rei, Buffy and Faith from the side. Faith grabbed him easily and tossed him into the hookah pit, where he tried to scramble back up. Rei, then Buffy and finally Faith did a backward flip, sailed through the hole, and landed on top of a pool table. There was a cue lying there. With one simple handspring, Faith grabbed it and landed neatly on her feet.

A vampire came at them.

Without looking at him, Faith jammed the cue end into his heart. There was a soft sound of punctured flesh, and when she released the cue it stayed right where it was.

"You want blood?" Rei asked again as she, Buffy and Faith stepped forward. As they did so the cue rose into the air. It looked curiously like the arm of a guard gate, and in the next second, the vampire's impaled body thudded to the floor.

"I want yours," Angelus snarled at Rei. "Only yours."

"Then come and get it."

Seeing her chance, Cordelia tried to break free of Angelus's grasp. He flung her roughly away just as Reiy leaped at him and slammed her fist into his face and he stumbled back in pain.

A vampire came at Buffy, who ducked and met his face with a roundhouse kick. She whipped out her stake and took aim, but he blocked her with a blow to her face.

As the crowd panicked and shoved in all directions, the backstage door burst open and Marie and Savannah burst through followed by Xander.

Xander took a quick look around, saw that the immediate vicinity was free of vampires, and instantly began herding people out.

"Savannah," Marie said. "Protect Xander."

"But …" Savannah started.

~Honey, don't worry. I will protect your mom. ~ Rei telepathically told Savannah.

Faith kicked another vampire fiercely in the chest, sending him back against the wall. He landed hard, and seeing her chance, she went in for the kill.

Savannah noticed a vampire coming up from behind Xander. "Xander! Duck!" she whipped out a stake and tossed it just as Xander did as ordered. The stake found the vampire's heart and he dusted.

Angelus grabbed Rei from behind. His arms closed around her and he lifted her in a crushing bear hug.

Xander and Savannah heard a shriek and they whirled around to see Jesse dragging Cordelia below the stairs. As Cordelia screamed and struggled, Jesse threw her to the ground and knelt above her, pinning her with his weight.

"Go," Savannah said looking for Faith, Buffy, Rei and Marie. Each of whom she found were fighting their own vampires. She handed him a stake. "And remember he's not your friend anymore. He's what killed your friend."

Xander nodded as he rushed over behind Jesse and Cordelia. He stood looking down, clutching a stake in his hand. He could do it right then, he thought to himself, could end it right then, just plunge the stake through Jesse's back, straight into Jesse's heart . . . "Jesse, man . . ." he begged. "Don't make me do it."

Jesse looked up. His grin was anything but human. He looked like something from the dregs of a nightmare. "Buddy . . ." he said.

Rei twisted uselessly in Angelus's grasp. She could feel him squeezing and squeezing—everything around her spinning, fading to black . . . She knew she was about to die. But thankfully for her it would not be a permanent death.

The vampire fighting Buffy leapt her and digging for her throat. She tried to use her stake, but it was knocked out of her hand as she toppled to the floor.

Xander took a step back as Jesse rose and faced him.

"Jesse, I know there's still a part of you in there," Xander insisted.

Jesse looked exasperated. "Okay, let's deal with this. Jesse was an excruciating loser who couldn't get a date with anyone in the sighted community! Look at me now! I'm a new man!"

To prove his point, he grabbed Xander and hurled him against the wall. Xander slid back down again and fell in a heap beside Cordelia.

"See," Jesse sighed impatiently. "The old Jesse would have _reasoned_ with you."

"Get off of my sis … off of my friend," Marie said as she plunged the stake in the vampire that had Buffy pinned to the floor. He dusted as she helped Buffy up.

Buffy looked at Marie for a moment and then moved toward Faith and the vampire attacking her.

Rei's body went limp in Angelus's merciless grasp. Her head dangled forward like a rag doll.

Angelus looked down at her, smiling. Wild elation rushed through him, and he uttered his humble prayer. "Master, taste of this and be free." His lips peeled back . . . mouth opening wide. He lowered his head, leaning in for the kill.

Rei hit him so hard; he didn't realize what had happened. He felt the back of her head as she rammed it up into his chin, and the unexpected impact nearly knocked him off his feet.

"Did you forget that I can't die?" Rei asked. She saw her sword lying five feet away and she sprang for it at the same time that Buffy dusted the vampire that Faith had been attacking.

Rei came up with the sword as Angelus leapt at her. She spun and as she did so she brought the sword up in a sweeping arc aimed straight for his neck. "There can be only one!" she shouted as the sword sliced through his neck decapitating him.

Jesse picked Xander up again from the floor and shoved him against the wall. He didn't have time for all these interruptions, these old reminders that meant nothing to him now. He glared at this easy prey that had once been a friend, and cold fury etched his new face. "I'm sick of you getting in the way, you know?" he railed at Xander. "Cordelia, she's gonna live forever. You're not."

Mustering his courage, Xander held the stake up to Jesse's chest. His face was determined, but Jesse could see that it was also very scared.

Savannah saw that Xander was in trouble and then she saw the stake and smiled. She came at Jesse from behind.

Jesse couldn't help but taunt Xander. "Oh, right! Put me out of my misery! You don't have the g—" His words gagged in his throat. He felt the sharp, quick thrust and looked down at his chest.

Savannah smiled as she pushed Jesse from behind right onto Xander's stake.

Jesse stared at Xander in shocked surprise. Gasping, dying, he grabbed onto his old friend.

Xander watched stunned as what once had been Jesse disintegrated into a pile of dust.

Darla and another vampire came up behind Savannah and Xander and grabbed them. The two vampires took stock and noticed they were the only ones left alive. And that Rei, Buffy and Faith were looking straight at them.

They regarded the expression on each of the Slayers' faces for one fraction of a second. Then without a word, they dropped Xander and Savannah as they bolted for the door.

Savannah helped Xander up as Giles and Willow came out from backstage. They, Buffy, Faith, Marie and Rei met them in the middle of the dance floor.

Giles glanced around, a note of relief in his voice. "I take it its over."

"Did we win?" Willow was almost afraid to ask.

The seven of them looked about at the carnage surrounding them. Most of the crowd had managed to escape by then, but a few still remained, some sitting, some wandering, all of them stunned and silent.

"Well, we averted the apocalypse," Buffy said wearily. "You gotta give us points for that."

She looked over and saw a dazed Cordelia still in a heap on the floor where Jesse had left her. For once, Cordelia had nothing to say.

"One thing's for sure," Xander sighed. "Nothing is ever gonna be the same."

As they turned to leave, Buffy held Marie and Faith back. "Faith, while we were fighting. Marie staked a vampire, I heard call me a friend," she said before looking at Marie. "But that wasn't the word you originally chose. You started to say another word."

Marie nodded.

Faith looked at Buffy and nodded. "You feel it too, when you look at Marie and Savannah?"

"Yes," Buffy said. "You too?"

"Yes," Faith replied as she looked at Marie. "When we look at you and Savannah, both of us can tell there is something there."

Marie sighed. "Buffy … Faith …"

"You and Savannah," Buffy said. "You both have been through a lot haven't you? More than you both tell people?"

Marie nodded. "Yes. Both Savannah and I like you have been part of a destiny. I alone have been part of many destinies in my two hundred year existence. More than I should have been a part of. That is why I almost said sister." A partial lie Marie knew as she knew Buffy was in fact Anne, one of her older sisters, past self.. "You two, Savannah and I are sisters in the fact that we all know what the other has gone through. What we are destined to do. Mine and Savannah's destiny here and now is to guide you in what's to come. We are to prepare you for your future, not in the way Giles will of course. He will train you. Savannah and I are both here as someone you can talk to. Someone who will listen and give advice as needed. To be friends, confidants and maybe yes even sisters."

Buffy nodded. "Thank you."

"Thanks," Faith said in agreement.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Contrary to Xander's prediction, the next day dawned as it always did.

And everything looked amazingly normal.

The warm California sunshine enveloped Sunnydale High, and in the fountain quad the routine was exactly the same. Students milled about laughing and talking, and Cordelia held court with her friends.

"Well, I heard it was rival gangs fighting for turf," she said dramatically. She glanced around at all the eager faces, her adoring fans clinging to every word. "Anyway, Buffy, Faith and that new girl Rei, totally knew these guys, which is too weird. I can't remember anything too well, but I'm telling you, it was a freak show."

"Oh, I wish I'd been there," Harmony sighed.

Crossing the quad in the opposite direction, Faith, Buffy, Xander, Savannah, Willow, Rei, Giles and Marie happened to overhear Cordelia's play-by-play.

Xander turned to the sisters in exasperated disbelief.

"Well, what exactly were you expecting?" Buffy chided him, while Xander gave an indignant shrug.

"I don't know! Something. The dead _rose!_ We should've at least had an assembly."

"People have a tendency to rationalize what they can," Giles reminded him gently, "and forget what they can't."

Faith nodded in agreement. "Believe me, Buffy and I've seen it happen."

"Well, I'll never forget it," Willow said emphatically, giving an inward shudder. "None of it."

"Good," Marie said. "Next time you'll be prepared."

"Next time?" Xander sounded suspicious, while Willow echoed, "Next time is why?"

Giles gave them a tolerant smile. "We stopped the Master from freeing himself and opening the mouth of hell."

"Doesn't mean he'll stop trying," Rei added.

"I'd say the fun is just beginning," Marie said.

"More vampires?" Willow croaked.

"Not just vampires." Giles said as he, Rei and Marie stopped and turned to face them. "The next creature we face may be something quite different."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I can hardly wait."

"You are standing on a Hellmouth," Marie said. "And those of standing right are the only thing standing between earth and its total destruction."

Xander shook his head. "Faith, this isn't good."

"Well, I gotta look on the bright side," Faith told them. "Maybe Buffy and I can still get kicked out of school."

Buffy and Faith smiled at Giles, Marie and Rei and started off, Savannah, Xander and Willow following behind.

"Hey, that's a plan," Xander was agreeable. "'Cause a lot of schools aren't _on_ Hellmouths."

"Maybe you could blow something up," Willow suggested helpfully. "They're really strict about that."

Faith considered this with a shrug. "I think we were aiming for a subtle approach, like excessive not studying."

Watching them go, Giles shook his head. He arched one eyebrow and settled his glasses more firmly upon his nose. "The earth is doomed," he sighed.

"No it's not," Marie and Rei said simultaneously.

"In fact Buffy, Faith and their friends with your help Rei, will save it in ways you don't know yet," Marie said.


	7. Chapter 6: Witch Part 1

**Chapter 6: Witch Part 1**

Marie woke to the smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen and smiled when she noticed Clay was not in bed next to her. "So anything exciting happening today?" she asked when she had gotten dressed and found Anne, Savannah and Clay in the kitchen. She kissed Clay as she looked for her twin children. "Are Logan and Joyce up?"

"Watching some cartoon on TV in the living room," Clay said. "Then Buffy and I are going to be taking them for a run after breakfast."

Marie nodded as she thought back on how both of her children had inherited the werewolf gene from her and Clay. In fact from what Jeremy, the current leader of the North American werewolf Pack, had told her and Anne, all females before Joyce were bitten, there were no hereditary female werewolves known to exist. Of course to their knowledge no female werewolves before herself had ever had children either.

Anne nodded. "On what's happening with my past self. This is when I tried out for cheerleading and when both Faith and I had that spell cast upon us that almost killed us."

"Is this when you got that cheerleading outfit I destroyed?" Marie asked.

Anne smiled. "Yes. And if you don't mind replacing it, I would be much appreciated."

"I will see if I can get one without anyone noticing."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Later in the Sunnydale High Library Marie stood next to Giles as he stared at the cheerleading outfit that Buffy was wearing.

"This is madness," he said, deeply concerned.

"You don't like the color," Buffy said as she glanced toward Faith who rolled her eyes.

Giles sighed. "I what? I don't—Buffy, do you ignore everything I say? As a rule?"

"No," Faith said, "that's your trick."

"I told you I'm going out for the cheerleading squad," Buffy added.

"Faith, Buffy, you both have a sacred birthright," Giles said. "You both were chosen to destroy vampires. You were not chosen to wave pom-poms at people, Buffy. Nor were you chosen to do whatever fool thing you have in her head, Faith. As the Watcher, I forbid it."

"And you'll be stopping us how?" Faith asked.

"Dyeh, uh, well—by appealing to your common sense, if such a creature exists," Giles answered.

Marie laughed. "That has to be the funniest thing you've ever said, Giles."

"Faith and I'll still have time to fight the forces of evil, okay? But we both want to have a life. We both want to do something normal. Something safe," Buffy said as she headed for the door.

"Which is why I am trying out for the basketball team," Faith said as she turned to follow her sister.

"Marie why are you supportive of this?" Giles asked when the doors to the library had closed behind Faith and Buffy.

Marie smiled. "Because it's part of her path. What is about to happen has to happen. Now if you will excuse me I'm going to go meet Savannah and Rei and we're going to watch Buffy try out." She turned and walked out of the library, leaving Giles staring after her in confusion.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Giles didn't approve, huh?" Willow asked as she, Faith, Buffy, Xander, Savannah and Rei entered the gym.

"He totally lost his water," Buffy said.

"We haven't even seen a vampire in a week," Faith said. "I'd say he should get a girlfriend if he wasn't so old."

"I wish your aunt Marie were our watcher sometimes," Buffy said with a glance at Savannah.

Savannah smiled. "Thing is Aunt Marie won't be here, the plan was to be here till your graduation and then we'd move on." Buffy, Faith, Xander, Rei and Willow looked at her quizzically. "I can't say more, as is I've said too much. Remember there are things that Aunt Marie and I are not allowed to say and there are things you have to find out for yourselves before we can say anything. Believe me I hate that we have to do it that way, but there are reasons for it. Reasons you will eventually find out, a long time from now."

"We're behind you though," Faith said.

"People scoff at things like school spirit, but when you see these young women giving their all like this..." Xander said as he looked toward Amber, one of the girls trying out. What had caught his attention was that she was stretched across a pair of chairs an extra low split. "...Oooh, stretchy." He then remembered his friends, who happened to all be female. "Where was I?"

"You were pretending that seeing scantily-clad girls in revealing postures was a spiritual experience," Savannah said with a smirk.

"What do you mean, pretending?" Xander asked as he pulled out an I.D. bracelet and handed it to Buffy. "Oh, hey. Here's a little good luck thing for the tryouts..."

"What is this?" Buffy asked, charmed at the gift.

"What is that?" Faith asked with a frown.

"This is so sweet!" Buffy said as she put on the bracelet.

Not far away from them Cordelia watched as Amber stood on one leg and held the other straight up in the air. "Just look at Amber," she said. "Who does she think she is, a Laker Girl?"

"I heard she turned them down," Willow said.

Rei rolled her eyes. She had mostly kept quiet till now. Like Xander she had been distracted, but by Buffy. "Actually that was just a rumor, Willow," she said, "started by Amber herself."

At the front of the gym one of the cheerleaders looked at clipboard in her hands. "Let's begin with... Amber Grove. If you're not auditioning move off the floor."

"Hi Amy," Willow said as she spotted an old friend, Amy Madison.

Amy smiled. "Hi."

"I didn't know you wanted to be a cheerleader," Willow said as Marie came up beside her. "You lost a lot of weight."

"Had to," Amy said. "Hi, Marie."

"Hi, Amy," Marie said.

"Did you get it?" Savannah whispered to Marie who nodded.

"Do you know Buffy?" Willow asked Amy.

"Hi," Amy said to Buffy. "Oh how I hate this, let me count the ways." Buffy smiled obviously warming to Amy's honesty. They turned their attention back to Amber, who was performing her routine. "She trained with Benson—he's the best coach money can buy."

"They have cheerleading coaches?" Buffy asked.

"Why not?" Faith asked. "They have coaches for everything, or did you forget your Dorothy Hamill phase and the coach mom and dad paid for?"

"You skated?" Rei asked as Buffy nodded.

"She was even training for the Regionals," Faith said. "Mom and dad pulled her out about the time they started fighting."

"Anyways," Amy said, "I train with my mom, three hours in the morning, three at night."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "That kind of quality time with," she said as she motioned toward herself and Faith, "our mom would probably lead to some quality matricide."

"No it wouldn't," Marie said with a shake of her head. She noticed Buffy and Faith glance her way. "Just saying."

"I know it's kinda hokey... but she's really great," Amy said.

Cordelia feigned boredom with Amber's performance and turned her back on it just smoke began to emanate from Amber's pom-poms.

"What the ...?" Buffy said with a glance at the others. She quickly realized they all saw it.

"That girl's on fire," Willow exclaimed.

"Enough with the hyperbole," Cordelia said, she had yet to notice the smoke.

Amber dropped her pom-poms and they realized the smoke was coming from her as her hands and arms burst into flames. She let out a horrified scream.

Buffy glanced toward Marie. "Can you?"

"Too many witnesses," Marie answered.

Buffy glanced at Faith who nodded. Faith headed for Amber while Buffy ran and grabbed the Razerbacks banner. Ripping it off the wall she ran to Faith and Amber. Faith helped her to smother the flames. "It's okay, you're gonna be okay..." the sisters said.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Buffy and I've been slaying Vampires for a while now," Faith said when they had returned to the library. **[1]**

"And we've seen some pretty cringeworthy stuff," Buffy added, "but nobody's hands ever got toasted."

Giles nodded. "I imagine not."

"I have," Marie said as everyone turned to look at her. "It was a witch, the year was about eighteen twenty-five. The witch cast a spell on an enemy. It did much like what happened to Amber, with one difference. The victim was completely burned alive."

"So this is a witch?" Rei asked.

"It would appear so," Marie said.

"Marie," Faith said. "btw, why couldn't you douse the fire? I don't believe in the too many witnesses. You have proven you know what's going to happen to Buffy and I in advance."

Giles looked to Marie and sighed, he knew that Buffy and Faith would figure it out.

"That's because I do, and I can't tell you. I'm passed information to make sure you and Buffy continue along your path."

"That's a gyp," Faith said.

Marie smiled at Faith. "I know. Believe me I do know how you feel. Growing up I was in much a similar situation where secrets were kept to protect me. But in this instance I am only allowed to tell you things if you discover them for yourself. I can aid you but I cannot interfere in your path."

"I have a suggestion," Xander said. "And it may be out there. But could Amber have done this to herself?"

"I see where Xander is going," Savannah said. "You're asking if she could be a mutant?"

"Yeah," Xander agreed. "Could this be a power she herself has, like the Human Torch, only it hurts."

Marie nodded. "It is a possibility there are witches out there that have access to fire based powers. If she is such a witch she needs to be trained. Fire based powers can be dangerous without training."

"So Faith and I should get the skinny on Amber," Buffy said. "See if she's had any colorful episodes before."

"That means hacking illegally into the school's computer system," Willow said excitedly as she headed for the computer, "at last something I can do."

"I can speed up the search for you, Willow," Marie said as she followed Willow.

"Xander and I'll ask around about her," Savannah said.

"Guys, you don't have to get involved," Faith said. "You don't have to either, Marie, Savannah or even you, Rei."

Marie smiled. "I know but I want to, regardless of if it's why Savannah and I are here."

"So do I," Savannah agreed.

"If I wanted out," Rei said. "I would have had Duncan take my head a long time ago. Regardless of the fact I am immortal, I'm a Slayer."

"Also we're a team!" Xander added. "Aren't we a team?"

Willow nods, "Yeah, you, Faith and Rei are Slayers and Savannah, Marie, Xander and I are like the Slayerettes."

"I think we can do better than that," Savannah said. "You know I always like Scooby Doo growing up. How about Scoobies."

"I like it," Xander agreed.

"We don't want you putting yourselves in danger," Faith said.

Xander smiled. "I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide till it goes away."

"Okay, well, I'm psyched for the help," Buffy said as Faith nodded in agreement. "And what if we find out Amber didn't cause this herself?"

"Then we will have to determine who the witch is that did. And deal with him or her accordingly. I take it Marie you know what is causing this?"

Marie nodded. "Yes. Again I can't say. Buffy and Faith must learn that themselves first."

"Hey, we've fought vampires!" Xander offered. "Anything else'll be a walk in the park."

"I hope so..." Buffy said with a glance at Faith.

"You said you could make the search go faster. How?" Willow asked Marie.

"By using magic," Marie said as she looked at Willow before mentally adding, 'Our family's magic.' She touched Willow's shoulder and then the computer.

Information files flashed across the screen faster than Willow could read it. "Wow," she said. She looked up at Marie's face and saw her friend's eyes moving at the same speed as what was appearing on the screen.

"I'll check with Willy," Rei said. "See if he has any information on any witches in town."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Despite the terrible thing that happened yesterday..." a cheerleader said the next day in the gym. Buffy and Faith stood with Amy, Cordelia and the others trying out. "...we still have to pick new cheerleaders. If you make the team, you'll find your name posted in the Quad after lunch. Let's begin with group performance—Cordelia, Buffy, Amy, Morgan, Janice and Lishanne."

Amy glared at her hands as she, Cordelia, Buffy and the other two girls walked forward. "Why do my hands have to sweat when I get nervous?"

"Don't worry, you'll do great," Buffy comforted and they began to perform the routine.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Marie stood looking at a trophy case, in particular the portrait of Catherine Madison that was hung inside the case. She let out a sigh. It was times like this she wished she could change things. While she knew in the end the spells would be reversed and no lasting harm would be done. She also wished she could spare everyone the pain of going through it also. But she knew that if she changed hers and Anne's own past that things could spiral out of control and their entire history could be irrevocably changed.

"That's my mom."

Marie looked up as Amy, Faith and Buffy came up beside her.

Buffy looked at Marie and then towards the picture that Marie had been looking at. "No..." she said in mock shock. "Catherine Madison. Get down with your bad self."

"Her nickname was Catherine The Great," Amy explained, "she took that team and made them tri-county champions, no one's ever done that before or since. She and my dad were homecoming King and Queen, got married right after graduation."

"That's kinda romantic," Faith said with a shrug.

"Well... he was a big loser," Amy said, "couldn't make any money, took off with Miss Trailer Trash when I was twelve."

"Okay, that part's less romantic," Buffy said. "Our folks split up, too."

"As did mine," Marie said with a glance at Faith and Buffy who looked back at her in confusion.

"Drag, huh," Amy said with a nod. "He left my mom with nothing. She put herself through cosmetology school, bought me everything I ever wanted and never gained a single pound..."

"She sounds great, Amy, but that doesn't mean you have to, you know, lock step as far as the cheerleading thing…" Buffy offered.

"It's just, she was the best, and I can't get my body to move like hers. I choked in there so bad," Amy said as Willow walked toward them. She tried to put on a brave face as she turned and headed for the girls' locker room. "...I gotta get changed..."

"Hi Amy..." Willow said as Amy walked past her. "She okay?"

"She's definitely not five by five," Faith said. "Her mother was supposedly the big cheer queen back when."

"Yeah," Willow said. "Her mom's kinda..."

"Nazi-like?" Buffy offered.

"Heil," Willow agreed. "If she gains an ounce she padlocks the fridge and won't eat anything but broth."

"So Mommie Dearest is really," Faith said with a shake of her head, "Mommie Dearest."

"There's a bitter streak–but Amy's nice," Willow explained. "We used to hang in Junior High. When her mom'd go on a broth kick Amy'd come to my house and we'd just stuff ourselves with brownies."

"Any word on Amber?" Buffy asked changing the subject.

"Xander's theory proved false," Marie said.

"Yeah," Willow agreed as she pulled a paper from her bookbag. "Average student—got detention once for smoking—regular smoking, with a cigarette. Not being smoky. All pretty normal."

"It's still likely a witch," Marie said. "Ruling Amber out as gifted means she was the victim of a spell. We just need to identify who the witch is. We'll have to wait to see if there is another attack. If not tracking this witch may be difficult."

"Hopefully nothing will happen," Buffy offered as they headed down the hall. She looked toward Marie. "About your parents. I thought divorce was unheard of 200 years ago."

Marie smiled. "Unheard of yes, but it still happened," she said. She knew it was a little white lie since she hadn't been born 200 years ago. She had been created five years from now and her parents were the same as Buffy and Faith's parents. But she of course couldn't tell Buffy or Faith that.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Rei walked toward Buffy, Marie, Faith, Xander and Willow and a crowd that was gathering around a bulletin board. "Willy had nothing on the witch," she said. "Though he did suggest this warlock, of course I …"

"Rack," Marie said with a sigh. "Had some dealings with him a long time ago. I'll talk to him and see if he knows anything."

Just then as Amy joined them a cheerleader walked past and posted a notice on the bulletin board. They watched as a girl ran past them seconds later in tears.

"Yes!" Lishanne said as she jumped up and down after reading the notice.

"I can't take this..." Amy said.

Buffy tried to wedge into the crowd but two contenders stepped past her blocking her way.

Faith rolled her eyes and shoved the girls aside as she dove into the crowd. She worked her way to the front to stand next to Cordelia. She rolled her eyes as Cordelia smiled and walked back through the crowd. She turned her attention to the notice and looked for Buffy's name and frowned. She knew her sister was better than first alternate. She walked back through the crowd. "Bad news girls," she said looking at Buffy and Amy. "Buffy, you got first alternate. Amy, I'm sorry but your third alternate."

Xander smiled. "You made it!" he said excitedly. He didn't notice the crestfallen look on Amy's face as she turned and walked off. He looked to Faith and smiled. "What better way to celebrate your sister making the squad than with a romantic drive-through for two at…"

Marie rolled her eyes. "Xander, alternates are the ones who didn't make the team. They only fill in if something happens to the ones who did."

"Excuse me," Buffy said as she moved toward Amy.

"For I am Xander," Xander said, "King of the Cretins, and all lesser cretins must bow before me."

"At least it's over," Buffy told Amy. "And you know what I think we should do about it? Brownie pig-out, my house, now."

"How many more hours a day can I practice?" Amy said dejectedly. "How much more can I do? This would never have happened to my mom. Never." She turned and walked off leaving Buffy watching her go.

"Something wrong, Buffy?" Savannah asked as she came up beside her friend.

"I'm not sure, Savannah," Buffy said.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Marie sighed as she walked toward the driver's ed car. "Why did I let Buffy talk me into doing this?" she wondered. She noticed that Cordelia and two other students stood beside the car. "Ok Cordelia you're up first. Let's buckle up, people."

"I don't want to drive today, Marie," Cordelia said with a sigh.

Marie sighed not really wanting Cordelia to drive either. "According to your records. You've flunked Driver's Ed twice. I know you can do this, Cordelia." She watched as opened the driver's door and climbed in behind the wheel. She walked around to the passenger door and got in beside Cordelia. "Check your brake, your mirrors, start the engine, put the car in drive..."

Marie mumbled the telepathic spell she had learned from Ruth and used it to see through Cordelia's eyes. She frowned at what she saw, everything a blur. "...let' move forward and through the cones in a gentle, even turn to the…"

Cordelia put the car in reverse as she stepped on the gas. The car flew backwards into a pole.

"…brakes!" Marie nearly shouted.

Cordelia slammed on the brakes, jammed the car through every gear until she found drive and hit the gas again sending the car this time forward.

"Slow down," Marie said, "turn right, right, BRAKES, BRAKES!"

Cordelia did as Marie instructed but with too much force. She yanked the wheel a hard right sending the car careening as she stomped on the brakes. The car skidded right off the blacktop of the parking lot through the grass and out on to the street.

Out of the corner of her eyes Marie saw Buffy and Faith running toward them. As the car skidded to a stop on the street a passing car blasted it's horn at them as it swerved around them.

"Everyone out!" Marie called as she, Cordelia and the two students scrambled out. "Buffy! Faith! Help Cordelia to the nurse and then gather everyone and meet me and Giles in the library."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Witchcraft," Marie said with a sigh. "Blinding your enemy to disable and disorient them is a classic. Though I myself have never done it. I practice good magic. What was done to Cordelia is dark magic."

"Why would someone want to harm Cordelia?" Giles asked.

"Maybe because ... they met her," Willow said with a shrug. "Did I say that?"

"Then why was Amber set ablaze?" Faith wondered.

"Yeah, those guys don't hang," Xander agreed.

"They're both cheerleaders," Savannah offered.

Savannah smiled. "Buffy hit the nail on the head."

"Someone doesn't like cheerleading," Giles said.

"Or likes it too much," Buffy suggested.

"Amy," Willow said with understand.

"Amy," Buffy echoed.

"So you guys are leaning towards Amy," Xander said.

"She's desperate to get on that team ..." Faith said.

"I get the feeling she'd do anything to make her mom's dream come true," Buffy added.

"Now I do want to make sure I've got this right. This witch is casting horrible, disfiguring spells so that she can be a cheerleader," Giles said trying to comprehend what was going on.

"Yes," Marie said. "While again it is not a path I would go down. I can understand what Amy must be going through to live up to her mom's expectations for her. I was that way with my sisters. When I was younger I would have done anything to make her proud of me." She looked to Buffy and Faith and smiled as she thought to herself. 'Still do.'

"Cheerleading was kind of her mom's last hurrah," Willow added.

"We still gotta stop Amy," Xander said. "We should grab her before…"

"Let's be certain she's the witch before we arouse her suspicions," Giles said as he flipped through one of his many books. "She's capable of some fairly ugly things."

"Giles we got a witch on our side, remember," Buffy said.

"Buffy," Marie said with a shake of her head.

"You are helping, not passing a long information," Buffy said. "It keeps you straddling that fence."

Marie sighed and nodded. She motioned toward the book Giles was looking through and it rose out of his hands and flew to her. She flipped through the pages. "This will work. You'll need some of her hair, a little quicksilver and aqua fortis."

"That's just mercury and nitric acid; we can get it in the science lab," Willow said.

"You will need to heat the ingredients," Marie said. "Then apply the potion to the witch in question. Just don't take a bit of my hair and do that to me. You will find spells cast in the last forty-eight hours. But it should tell you if Amy is the witch. Oh, and you'll need some eye of newt."


End file.
